House of 9
by BrokenOrphan
Summary: Apps are closed. 9 people from different backgrounds are all kidnapped and brought into one house, to live until there is only one left. This person will win the Prize, but no one knows who brought them there or whats really going on.
1. The Beginning to The Puzzle

**House of 9**

_9 people from different backgrounds and pasts must spend 9 days in a mansion. Without any knowledge of why they are there, they begin to see they all have something in common, a bad past. _

_If you read the summary, please put in your review at the top of review the number 9_

**_Great News- You can sign your OC up for this story, TODAY! Start by filling out this easy form:_**

**_(LEAVE THE CAPITALIZED SUBTITLES!)_**

**-THE BASICS-**

**Name: **

**Age: (16-80): **

**Gender:**

**Born:**

**-APPEARANCE- **

**Body Type: **

**Head Shape: **

**Eye colour/shape: **

**Hair Colour:**

**Hair Style: **

**Scars/Tattoos/Birthmark:**

**Casual Attire: **

**Sleep Attire: **

**Formal Attire (Prolly wont be used.): **

**-INTO THE MIND-**

**Sterotype? (Optional):**

**Personality:**

**Past: **

**Relationships(past lovers/Mother Father/Friends):**

**-ON A MEDICAL NOTE-**

**Mental Disorders?: **

**Do**** they take Medication?: **

**Mental Status: **

**Conditions:**

**-ROMANCE IS IN THE AIR?-**

**Find Love?: **

**What kind of person?: **

**-THE LAST NOTE-**

**Three things I MUST remember: **

**Anything I missed?: **


	2. Can

**House of 9**

_First I'd like to thank everyone who sent in Characters. They were all very good and rest assured I had a very hard time picking some. So, before I begin the chapter, I think you all deserve to know first who won._

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><p><em><span>Lawliet<span>- The mysterious broken orphaned, Weird, Genius (Phew..that was a mouthful)_

_Jose- The Psycho Solider_

_Donnie- The Funny Druggie_

_TK-The Deaf Younger Brother_

_James-The sufferer of Multiple Personalities_

_Nora- The Mother-hen_

_Scarlett-The Broken Orphan (Another one that are no way related.)_

_Maddie- The Broken Doll_

_Jane- The Beautiful Schizophrenic Mystery_

* * *

><p>The low humming noise coming from the air vents sent a cold vibration through the entire house itself. The chilly tile floors with the modernized furniture showed how decorative the owner was, or perhaps just his or her designer.<p>

Lighting was even considered sacred as the lights flickered once or twice before the stayed on, lighting the house in its entirety.

Only one stirred within the household, and hardly at any rate did it stir, rather it say on the floor, chewing it's thumb with as it brought its legs up to its chest. Clad only with loose jeans and a loose White T-shirt, it looked almost like a sort of doll with it's deathly pale porcelain skin.

It was a boy. Around sixteen or maybe even seventeen, the boy looked tiredly and bored around himself, watching the rise and fall of the other peoples chests as they slept on. His black hair stuck in all directions, giving him a sort of bed-head look about him and the dark circles underneath his eyes did not give anymore of a comforting aura.

A sudden movement made his eyes trail lazily to one of the nine twin beds in the room. He watched carefully as the man closest to him began to stir and finally sit up. The man who sat up was a bit lanky, and noticeably a bit tall upon first sight as he sat up. He looked around him frantically for a minute before turning aruond and noticing the much younger boy behind him. He glared for a moment, nervous beyond all means.

His dark red hair and hazel eyes gave a look of some youth but his scruffy beard showed his man-hood. His red, yellow and black flannel short sleeved shirt twisted a bit as he stood up and softened his glare.

"Hey, uh, little guy. Listen, where the hell am I?"

The younger boy stared on for a moment, no emotion or reaction showing through in his eyes as he continued biting his thumb. He finally retracted his hand and sighed as stood up and shoved his thin hands into his pocket.

"Your in the same boat I am.." He droned a bit monotonously as he scanned the room slowly, his dark eyes watching for any sudden movements.

"Wait, you were awake before even I was awake, what the hell all did you see? I mean come on, you musta' seen us get dragged on in here? A guy who was responsible for this?"

The other boy sighed and closed his eyes for a moment before looking back at him and cocking his head to the side. "Look, you see that empty bed all the way at the end?"

The older man looked down the way and saw the empty bed that seemed to be slightly tousled.

"Yeah."

"Okay, well do the math. If I woke up before you..and there is another empty bed..and there seems to be now two empty beds, and two of us are awake. Where do you think I was before you?"

"In that bed?"

"Correct, so that must mean I'm in the same predicament you and the rest of these people are.."

The red-headed man looked at him for a moment before lowering his eyebrows and then smirking. "What's your name boy?"

"L."

"L? That's really your name?"

"I don't just give out my name, who knows who you could be.." He then sighed once more before blinking slowly. "However, if I actually think about it.." He then inserted his thumb and bit down on it slowly. "..I highly doubt your any sort of threat."

"Hey, now you just watch your back boy! I'm a lot more then what I look to be."

"Hm. Sure, sure. Whatever you say.."

"Donnie."

"Donnie, sure sure."

Donnie looked at the boy who claimed to be named 'L' and watched as he slouched back into his corner at the wall, watching the others begin to stir also. Donnie stood next to him and watched closely as some awoke, breathing in sharply while others rubbed their eyes nervously. No matter the person, everyone was up and ready to fight or hide in a hole.

"W-What's giong on here?" A slim woman with Honey Blonde hair that was pulled back in a tight bun asked as she looked around the room, studying every square inch.

"Ma'am, don't worry. Everythings going to be fine, we were all brought here under..mysterious circumstances now, we all just need to-"

"Easy for you to say, we just woke up! How long hav you been awake? Long enough to drug us, drag us in here and lay us in the beds. Most likely raped without even knowing?" A young man with practically white hair yelled out nervously.

"Listen! Listen! I'm in the same raft as you guys are! I'm without a paddle! I assure you! Now listen, L and myself here were the first two awake-"

"W-W-Who L?" A younger boy with a Tye-dye shirt on asked, stressing into his words.

"L is right-" Donnie began before giving an odd look at the young boy, then looking down he noticed he was gone. "Wait..he was just here! He must of left when-"

Suddenly a bed-head popped through the doorway as it creaked open.

"I see you've all awaken..I am L. I left only a minute ago but I took the time to take a short tour of the house by myself. There are no traps as far as the basic walkways go. I found a Dining Room though, I thought we could all sit there and discuss whats going on in an orderly fashion instead of yelling at each other. Obviously we all have no idea about what's going or who we are, so let us introduce ourselves quickly and then get onto where we are and whats going on." L said quickly as he waited for each person to stand up and follow him through the metallic doorway.

Each individual looked at each other but eventually Donnie went through the door, followed by a string of the other. They followed closely behind each other in a sort of jumbled line, following the Bed Headed boy down a flight of stairs, through a hallway. passing a few more doors, and then finally it opened into a landing where there were two curved dark oak staircases leading down to the main floor where a Dining Table lie, all glass which was finely polished.

"Good Job...L?" A man who was dressed in a sort of camouflage outfit said questioningly as he sat at one of the nine chairs.

"Yes, it is L. And Thanks. Anyhow, it seems that whoever made this house was expecting for there to be Nine people, no more no less which means we were put here specifically. No one else added. This also means that either one of us is the Master Mind behind this, or the Master Mind is watching from a safer point at the happenings of this all."

Everyone watched as the young boy contemplated his own words before shaking his head and putting his head in his hands and shrugging. "But where are my manners anyhow? Let's start uh..with names? Then if you want to add anymore, go ahead."

L pointed at the first person at the head of the table and then swallowed quickly before nodding their head.

"My name is James." A man with dark eyes and white hair responded as he looked onto the next victim.

"Nora." The woman with the Blonde hair tied into a tight bun responded with a warm yet nervous smile around the table. "I'm..I'm a Psychologist." She added quickly.

A young girl then came, who had loose curls in her long black hair, with red stripes , Icy Blue eyes, and a white top underneath her black sweater. "My name is Scarlett."

"Maddie.." A young woman with oval gray eyes and Black hair next said, a purple streak prominent in her bangs that hung over one of her eyes.

Another girl with black hair then also stated her name, "Jane" She, however, had dark green eyes.

"My name is Jose." A man with short dark hair and eyes that matched nodded forcefully with eyes staring out in determination.

"T..K.." The boy with Tie-Dye said forced sounding once more.

"Okay, we've got that handled, now, I'm guessing no one knows what going on, and why we are here, correct?"

A short ripple of nods showed through the table.

"Right so then-"

"Excuse me. I'm sorry, really, but I'm just a little curious as to..well, your name to be blunt. Your name is L?" Nora said as she bit her lip self-consciously.

L turned to look at her and then blinked. "I just don't like giving my name out. It's a sort of habit I guess..However, seeing as you've all given your names out..it would only be fair to give out mine so, mine is Lawliet if that makes you any happier."

"Listen, L, or Lawliet, whatever, if you don't why were here, and if no one else knows, then I say we wait. Wait for someone or something to tell us why were here."

L stared emotionlessly into his eyes before standing up slowly and shoving his hands into his pockets. "Listen, you don't mind if I sit down, do you?"

Everyone at the table looked at him as if he had gone mad. "Of course you don't.." He whispered before kicking off his white Converse and toeing his way to Sock freedom, lying those next to his shoes. He then stood up in his seat and crouched down, much as though he was perching.

"Much better...I can think up to seventy-five percent better this way. Anyway, it doesn't bother me anyway you want to deal with the situation, I work best alone anyway.."

L looked at the confused faces before sticking the top of his thumb into mouth once more as he began to chew.

"L, get your thumb out of your mouth, that's unsanitary." Nora said quietly before sighing and rubbing her temples.

L raised an eyebrow but shrugged and let go of it with a small shrug.

"Okay, first off we know the kids a nutcase." Donnie smirked before clearing his throat and running his fingers through his hair,

Nora scoffed and put a hand on her forehead. "Are none of you seeing whats going on? None of you see we've been kidnapped? Drugged? Possibly other things amoung that?"

Every turned to look at her, thinking over what she had said. Everyone knew the situation, they knew it very clear, so why did most of them not feel the panic that should of been inching up their spines?

"Nora, is it? Alright, well anyway, _Nora _I for one, do understand the situation I'm in, I'm not an idiot and I would just like to say, if any one of you morons could possibly help me outta here? That'd be great 'cause ya' know...I'd like to go home, drink some booze and look at a few Porno mags." Donnie announced as he stood up with a small smile, his beer belly a little more noticeable then before now that he mostly revealed him to be at some extent an alcoholic and Porn-lover.

Either that or he was trying to lighten up the mood but that seemed very doubtful.

Nora looked in disgust at him before lowering her eyebrows in a disapproving manner.

"That's disgusting." She replied as she crossed her arms across her chest stubbornly.

"Like or not darling, it's the way I roll." Donnie replied winking with a genuine smile for once.

Nora softened her look and then shrugged off the comment, she stood and looked around the table. "We do need to figure out a way out of here."

Everyone nodded once more around the table as they all stood.

"Hey, just..hold on. Did...did anyone else notice that we don't have anything here? Everything that I can remember being in my pockets, are gone. All we have is the skin off our backs." James said as he looked around slightly paranoid.

A look of fear crossed L's face before recovering quickly with a sharp intake of breath.

"Now that I think about it..I was sure I had a purse with me before this.." She replied as she brushed a piece of hair behind her ear, and wiped a stray tear making way down her cheek.

TK nodded but said nothing.

Jose cleared his throat quickly and then nodded before adding, "Yes, I actually had a gun around my waist before the events leading up to this."

"Do you admit that you know what happened before then?" L asked quietly as he stuck his thumb once again in his mouth and began to chew on the tip once more.

Jane rubbed the back of her neck but silently agreed.

"No sir. I am simply stating that before we were put in this house, I was aware that I had a gun."

"Why did you have a gun?"

Jose looked at him for a moment, looking into his dark sleepy eyes.

"Point taken." L replied as he looked back at his military attire.

L mumbled something about sleep and then moved onto sitting in a chair in a sort of sitting area, which was just about ten feet away from the dining table and down about two steps. He had a good view of the ongoings of what they were about to do but he obviously was not about to take part in it.

"What the hell do you think your doing?" Donnie asked with a crooked smile appearing on his face.

"_I.._" L began as he sat down in the same position as before in the chair. "..am spectating."

"How lovely, your not gonna help us?"

"I know what your going to do is not going to work."

"Forget him, we can do this ourselves." James said bitterly as he glared at the unfazed bedhead who silently watched the group whisper amongst each other about their plans.

Each took a corner of the table and lifted but it appeared only the top came off, the legs clung still to the ground. This only put them off for a second before they all charged straight forward, making their way straight into a wide metallic door. The table top however only bounced back with a loud and blood curdling _'CLANG!' _

L only looked on wide-eyed as usual before standing up slowly, passed by as they all seemed to amazed by how he ha known that it would not work. Some of them however only looked at him in hatred, knowing that he would most likely out-smart them more then just once.

He walked past them carefully before setting foot a rather large kitchen. He looked around as he sighed out before finding what he desired. A coffee pot. He gave a small smile before finally finding both sugar, and milk and then he gave a rather genuine large smile.

He hurriedly started on making coffee.

"Would anyone else like coffee? I'm making some..." He announced, ignoring the fact of them all still being on the floor.

TK looked up naively before raising his hand and L, noticing it, gave him a small nod with a blank expression.

**First chapter? Complete. **


	3. You

**House of 9**

_First off, here is the list of who is still in the game, no one has died/been taken off..yet._

* * *

><p><em><span>Lawliet<span>- The mysterious broken orphaned, Weird, Genius (Phew..that was a mouthful)_

_Jose- The Psycho Solider_

_Donnie- The Funny Druggie_

_TK-The Deaf Younger Brother_

_James-The sufferer of Multiple Personalities_

_Nora- The Mother-hen_

_Scarlett-The Broken Orphan (Another one that are no way related.)_

_Maddie- The Broken Doll_

_Jane- The Beautiful Schizophrenic Mystery_

* * *

><p><strong>AN!: A NEW AUTHORS NOTE!: PLEASE READ THIS! HIGHLY IMPORTANT!: This Chapter is 4,089 words long. So I have split it into two parts, HOWEVER, the chapters will be uploaded simultaneously, I didn't want it to be too long. So I split it where I thought it was appropriate. This is the FIRST chapter of the two, the SECOND one is the next chapter, obviously. <strong>

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><p>The slow steam that rose from the cup at the head of the table hit the young man in his face as he bent his head down to take a whiff of the smell, it smelled of not only coffee, but hope, life, and a hint of sweet vanilla. L looked out amoung the people, he was giving them a few minutes to let reality hit them. When he first woke up, reality had dealt him a heavy blow and he hardly minded, there was one thing that clawed at the back of his brain but he didn't let it show, not now, and most likely, not ever.<p>

He let each mourn in their respective ways, he simply say, waiting patiently to see if perhaps he or another coluld fathom up a plan to escape, of course, the first thing they would need to do would be to thoroughly inspect the house, map it out and take special documentation of each aspect that seemed out of the ordinary or just _too _ordinary.

Nora brushed a hand across her face as she sniffed slightly, the cold stinging at her tears she placed her palms on the cool glass and sighed out as she wept silently. Suddenly a feeling of human skin brushing her own came colliding into his brain. She felt it softly along her hand, a small touch and then a glide of the human finger.

She looked up to see the young naive TK.

"TK, right?"

He nodded and blushed slightly before grabbing her hand carefully and held in his before flipping it over. She watched slightly confused and then again, afraid. Not of him, but what he was after.

Slowly however he began to let his fingers glide across her palms.

First he made a sort of crescent shape, follow by a circle, and then a bridge, he lifted his finger and brought it down again.

"Wait, what are you doing?" She asked softly, looking into his eyes.

"L-L-eters..."He said slowly as if a child learning to speak, saying some parts of the word in an odd manner as if he couldn't hear himself speak..

"Oh, Oh my, are you deaf?" She asked looking into his eyes.

She noticed he stared at her lips as she spoke, he must of read them as he nodded yes and then repeated the shapes in her hand once more, but this time she could clearly see they were letters, and he was spelling the letters into her hand, he had been trying to say:

_'Can you sign?' _

She smiled and then nodded. "Oh yes, yes I can sign."

He looked happily at her and then gave a small glint of glee in his eyes to her. She felt it warm her heart and she laughed slightly at his childish ways. She grinned and put a hand on his shoulder as he began to sign to her with his hands.

_'Do you understand me?' _He asked through his hands.

_'Yes.' _She signed back to him.

She could almost see tears of relief come into his eyes.

L watched the antics continue as he made a mental note that TK was obviously deaf, but perhaps not his entire life.

Donnie slumped in his seat, hand resting his head lazily on the table as he tried to think of ways to possibly escape and James was practically beside himself in woe. He bit his nails and you could practically see his heart pounding within his chest, he breathed in slowly and watched each movement with a certain fear in his eyes.

Maddie looked around the table but swallowed with her eyes closed, slowly breathing to calm herself and Jane right next to her, looked hestitantly at her, debating wether to console the girl or not. She seemed afraid and distant, but also as though she could deal with being alone.

Then finally Jose stood up, his chair scratching across the polished wooden floor. "We need to do something. We cannot just sit here like we are."

L cleared his throat and sighed in a bored fashion before rolling his eyes and then he continued in his usual monotone voice. "Yes.." He droned slowly, his voice was not deep at all, yet it was not high-pitched, it found a medium that seemed to fill them with wonder, even though it did seem to be have a younger tone then older.

"Exactly, however, we cannot go down the halls in this state, or..rather..all of you lots state. I suggest that we all investiage the food, find some sort of dinner, and then we find respective rooms. When I previously walked around the house a bit, I found that there were a few rooms with about two beds apiece, there seemed to more then enough beds for all of us to share one room with one other, anyhow.."

L paused briefly as he sighed and took a drink of sugar saturated coffee.

"Well...alright, all of you need to find a room buddy, once that's been done, go raid the kitchen and try to get some rest, when you wake up in the morning I will have a clear and detailed map of the entire estate, with notes along the side. If, however, I am not right here at the dining table by the time that clock mounted to the wall," L then pointed to a small circular black clock hung upon the wall.

"..says twelve O'clock PM, then you should know I am dead, come look for my body though on two reasons, one, the house will start to reek after about three or four days, at the most ten, and two, I might have half a map in my hand plus you'll know there are threats inside the house."

Everyone nodded slightly in shock at how passive he seemed to speak about his own death, and slightly in shock that he came up with such a plan in short span of three minutes or perhaps even less.

"L, may I ask you something?" Nora began.

" Alright.." L replied as he took another drink.

" I'm sorry, I know this is off topic but I..I've had this question for some time now,..were you raised in the UK?" Nora questioned as she had caught the very faint undertone of a britsh accent laced inside his speech, it was a bit hard to catch but it was weaved within his monotone words.

L stared at her for a moment, the ticking of clock sounding through the dining room the only sound within that timeframe.

"I lived in England for about five years when I was younger." He replied looking right through her curious expression.

"I see.."She replied as she looked away and finally the silence was broken by some more of the people raising from their seats and finding their room partner or searching for food in the kitchen. It turned out that there actually seemed to be quite a variety and quantity in food, but was there poison laced within the food?

"I..I don't know if we should actually eat this." Scarlett said softly.

"If the sick maniac behind all this wanted us dead, he would of done it already." Donnie replied as he bit hungrily into a ham and cheese sandwhich that he quickly prepared. The other followed suit, some getting cereal and other creating a quick sandwich.

L simply stayed put at the dining table, until he wandered into a desk that was back inside the small sitting room he had been at previously in the day. He grabbed a few pieces of paper and a pen, along with a straightedge and began to create one paper into a lined sheet of paper for note taking and one other paper and gridded sheet for creating a diagram on the floorplan of the estate.

Suddenly a soft clicking sound was heard next to him and as he looked over she saw Nora's retreating figure and then a simple grilled cheese beside him. He looked at her and felt the confusion bubble within his head, he swallowed harshly and blinked a few times too many before breathing in a bit labored.

He felt his breath hitch and he shook his head as if to shake away his pains.

"W-Watari?" He whispered.

"Hm?" TK asked as he peeked over his shoulder.

"Nothing..nothing.."He whispered in slight dazed confusion before going back to mapping out the paper.

Jane suddenly walked through and sat beside him, watching his pen streak across the paper. She looked up at his blank facial expression before standing up and walking towards TK.

"Are you alright?" She asked softly as she noticed the small piece of a scar showing through on his neck, for once not covered by his messy red hair.

He gasped slightly and pulled his floppy cap on himself a bit tighter and the hair practically adjusted itself in his favor.

He nodded to answer her question and she left it at that immediately, she gave him a smile and then put her hands into her pockets. "Well, um, do you want to be my roomy?"

He smiled slightly and a blush began to bloom across his face as he nodded slowly, he took her, shakily, by the hand and formed letters into her hand which she immediately recognized as a way of communication.

'_sure, do you sign?' _

Her face fell and she shook her head slowly. "I'm sorry.."

As footsteps proceeded up the stairs, the clocks hand began to turn, each hour slowly turning passing by.

Within these long hours, L explored every inch of the house and each victim settled down into their rooms which they found down the hallway of many doors, none of them dared to explore more than what L had showed them to be safe.

At each place, he scaled it out onto a map, the origin of the map, directly in the middle being what he labeled, The Great Room. Which was the place they congregated. Down the stairs and at the dining table. Labeling it the dining room would make no sense as there was not only that, but also the small living room detached to the side, the entrance room in front of the main door, the kitchen, and a small library unexplored by the others as of yet.

Lawliet, had finally completed both the notes paper, the map, and diagram, at five AM, the time that Nora had decided it was appropriate to wake up, along with Scarlett, Jane, and Maddie.

"Lawliet? Uh..Good Morning." Jane murmured as she walked down the stairs slowly.

"...Morning.." He sighed as he put his hand to his head and squinted in frustration at the paper he was reviewing.

"You..finished those?" Nora asked as she also noted his untouched grilled cheese.

"The maps? Yes..I was working on them.." He mumbled as he began to bit his thumb once again.

Nora noted along with the various other things, the bags under his eyes. They were extremely dark. She had noticed them before but..now it just seemed to strike her even more forcefully than ever that he looked absolutly exhausted.

It was but five minutes before Nora had begun to brew coffee and Nora slid cups all around the table full of coffee at each seat. She figured everyone though could drink it, and if they desired not to, they could drink water. As that seemed to be there only options as of right then.

Scarlett, Maddie, and Jane all silently agreed to help Nora with the kitchen tasks as they took the sugar cubes and creamer to the table and then eventually began to help in the preparation of breakfast.

It turned out to be that Maddie was actually a decent cook, Nora was fantastic, Scarlett seemed to not know how to even crack and egg, and Jane was was great at silently cleaning dishes and putting them away as they were before.

All in all, it took only one hour to prepare breakfast for all the members of the house and as they finished placing the last item of food on the plate, the last person to wake came down, Donnie.

"Fills me with joy to see women in the kitchen...working." Donnie said with a small smile.

"Very cute, but not helpful.." Nora replied with a small smirk hidden behind a mask.

Breakfast was served accordingly by Maddie and everyone dug in quickly.

Tk looked across the table at Nora until she finally felt his stare and looked up at him also. He smiled and signed quickly _'Thank You.' _before going back to eating.

She smiled and shook her head slowly as she continued her breakfast also.

**_REMEMBER: This chapter is in two parts, continue to the next chapter to read the rest, Yes, I put up TWO chapters_**.


	4. Solve

**House of 9**

_First off, here is the list of who is still in the game, no one has died/been taken off..yet._

* * *

><p><em><span>Lawliet<span>- The mysterious broken orphaned, Weird, Genius (Phew..that was a mouthful)_

_Jose- The Psycho Solider_

_Donnie- The Funny Druggie_

_TK-The Deaf Younger Brother_

_James-The sufferer of Multiple Personalities_

_Nora- The Mother-hen_

_Scarlett-The Broken Orphan (Another one that are no way related.)_

_Maddie- The Broken Doll_

_Jane- The Beautiful Schizophrenic Mystery_

* * *

><p><strong>AN!: A NEW AUTHORS NOTE!: PLEASE READ THIS! HIGHLY IMPORTANT!: This Chapter is 4,089 words long. So I have split it into two parts, HOWEVER, the chapters will be uploaded simultaneously, I didn't want it to be too long. So I split it where I thought it was appropriate. This is the SECOND chapter of the two, this is the second half of the last.<strong>

* * *

><p>Slowly everyone finished and those with enough courtsey said there thank-yous to the women who had worked in the kitchen. Nora collected the plates quickly and stopped finally when she got to L. She couldn't help but notice that all but the toast was still there, maple syrup residue still on the plate.<p>

"L, aren't you hungry?"

"Oh..I mean not to offend you, however, I have a thing for sweets and I didn't want to not eat the food you so kindly made for us so I decided to drench my toast in syrup...after that I wasn't really too hungry..."

Nora sighed and shook her head but finally picked up the plate and ruffled his hair as she walked by as a sign that it was fine.

He gasped at the contact but quickly recovered by clearing his throat.

Scarlett came to sit next to him with her red top and black and white sweat pants on comfortably and eyeballed the maps. "So..you...mapped it all out?" She asked.

"Yes."

"No Booby Traps?" She asked with a faint smile.

"No. It seems whoever trapped us here, only wants us for amusment. He sees no desire on killing us..by his hand anyway...I'm mostly guessing he has put us here to test our human nature..see how far we can go until we...snap.."

Donnie gave a look of disgust. "Whatta sicko."

"Yes.." L responded as he mused on the thought.

"You got the map done Mr. Lawliet?" Jose asked with his eyes set deeply wthin L's.

"...You are correct. I figured out that this is no mere house, but a mansion. It has two other kitchens. I'm guessing for when this runs out. I bit into a few samples of the food to check for posion, as you can see, I am not dead. I also found some other worthless rooms, living rooms, bathrooms, a few bedrooms, an then a empty room. It's far down though. Down a long ramp, through a door and some steps. It's dark, cold and grey, with one small light hanging. It seems as though it's a sort of room for dead bodies. When we die, it seems we are to put the bodies down there.."

"Why would we die?" Nora asked hurriedly.

"There doesn't have to be a reason, some of us may go crazy and kill others. Some of us may kill ourselves. We will all be tested..I can't tell you in the future what to do. However, I can tell you to try and bare with. In the end, if we stick together, he or she may just release us due to the boredom of us sticking to. Just stay together. However, I can tell you now, a few of us wont follow those directions, so as safety, I can guarntee it that if you show signs of mania , which I will evaluate in a sit down session, then you will be kept away from the rest of those who are sane for a while until you prove youself to come back. If you try to hurt another due to the fact you are going insane, you will be locked in the room where there are dead bodies, or if you must go in before we put the dead bodies, where they _will _go."

It was silent for a moment in which earned them a small eyebrow raise from L.

"Is that understood and accepted?"

Everyone nodded slowly.

"Sounds fair." Scarlett replied as she mused over the plan for a moment. He would be giving them many chances to redeem themselves if he found them to be suffering from insanity.

"But wait..how would you know if were crazy by a sit down session. Your too young to be some kind of psychiatrist."

"No, not really. I took psychology courses in college and passed, however, you are correct, I am no psychiatrist. I'm a psychologist, I can still recognize insanity" L replied and after earning quite a few questioning looks he sighed and said, "..I skipped many grades..."

They nodded and finally all agreed it was very fair and it was the end of that discussion.

"Oh, I am putting these maps and notes at the study in the cove over there. If anyone would like to look at them..they will be there.." L finally said before everyone began to stand up to get ready.

L laid them down on the table and began his way back to his seat at the dining table.

Jane stared out into space before Nora finally came around and put a hand on her shoulder and looked down at her. Jane looked up and gave a small smile.

"It's going to be alright, isn't it?" Jane asked with reassurance in her eyes.

"I believe so..Yes." Nora replied as she sighed openly and sat down next to her. "I am worried though. You would..well you would think that someone would notice one of our dissapearances and look for us."

It was then that both turned to see the young detective slide his chair back stiffly yet slightly loudly and began to walk away from the table.

But that's when something very odd happened.

_'Hello Everyone..'_

It was a low, old voice that only slightly crackled over the old speaker systems. Some jumpedin surprise as they all looked around to find the origin of the voice.

Donnie squinted his eyes in hate at the small box he sawin the corner of the room.

_'I see you have all gotten aquainted with your rooms and each other. I am glad. I would like to let a few things be rest assured in some of your minds. First of all, your parents, and...guardians...along with Orphanages, all know of your dissapearance. Almost all of them have contacted the police, but I am here to assure all you that they will not find you. They will not succeed. Also, I know all of you are simply dying to know my motives behind this kidnapping.' _

_'So far, you have been smart. Making maps, holding meetings, establishing rules. Yes,most impresive group I've seen so far. Oh, but I'm getting ahead of myself. You see, the fact of the matter is, is that you will all die. All but one. The prize for that one is ten million dollars, directly from my wallet, all in cash. Some of you will kill others, some of you will kill yourselves. However, this group has impressed me so far and it would not surprise me if you all were too stubborn to die off. So I've set some..disturbances...along the way.' _

_'I know your pasts. All of you. I have unlimited sources and I will tell you right now that I know more about you then you do yourself. Especially in one of your cases...' _

L glared at the speakers and huffed as he ground his teeth together.

_'For that special person, you know exactly who you are, you will be awarded with the answer you've been searching for all your life..does that tempt you? I bet it does...because of course, I know you, and you have no desire for money..you have all the money you want already...anyhow, back to everyone. Now, the disturbances. Ah yes, I shall not speak of them yet and ruin the surprise, but, I will let you know that they are quite entertaining.' _

_'Yes, so, I have put you all here, in this mansion, to test you. Just as your dear little friend Lawliet has figured out. What a smart little thing. Anyhow, it is for my pure entertainment and amusment. To test the mind of man. To test them and what they believe has value and what things are valued mor ein their hearts...' _

_' But nevermind that..Please, enjoy your stay here. It'll be your last.' _

Everyone went silent as they thought over the words just spoken by the older scottish man through the speakers. The without hesitation, everyone looked over to Donnie who still glared at the speakers.

He noticed their stares within an instant and sighed. "Of course you all look at me.." He said as he closed his eyes. He didn't even have to turn his head and see them looking at him to know they were.

"You think I'm gonna kill you all within two seconds flat for the ten mill. dont'cha?"

A few nodded and TK gulped with fear.

"Well..I'm not. Look, yeah, ten big ones? That would be undeniably awesome. Of course. But am I gonna kill off a women and a deaf guy for it? Hell no. I'm not a sleezy asshole..naw, I'm only an asshole.."

There was a sudden blanket of relief swept across the others as they heard those words.

"So, it's..agreed? Agreed that we wont kill each other?" Jane half-laughed as she looked around.

Everyone nodded in unison as they prepared themselves for the future adventure

**_REMEMBER: This chapter is in two parts, this is the second half of the last chapter._**


	5. The

**House of 9**

_First off, here is the list of who is still in the game, no one has died/been taken off..yet._

* * *

><p><em><span>Lawliet<span>- The mysterious broken orphaned, Weird, Genius (Phew..that was a mouthful)_

_Jose- The Psycho Solider_

_Donnie- The Funny Druggie_

_TK-The Deaf Younger Brother_

_James-The sufferer of Multiple Personalities_

_Nora- The Mother-hen_

_Scarlett-The Broken Orphan (Another one that are no way related.)_

_Maddie- The Broken Doll_

_Jane- The Beautiful Schizophrenic Mystery_

* * *

><p>Jane smiled as she nodded slowly to the others and whipped out a pick from her pocket, it was a ruby red and looked to be paper thin.<p>

She smiled slowly as he showed off her black electric guitar. It was a burnt wood colour, with jagged edges, giving it a dark look about it. As she turned to switch the distorters on, everyone could see that the strap used to hold the guitar up against her body said _'Crime Scene Do Not Cross' _

The housed victims sat in the dining chairs as he set up shop and finally he tapped his foot and whispered something before beginning.

It was the song Uprising by Muse and it sounded absolutly combustable throughout the mansion. The loud distorted guitar solos seemed to open everyones mind at two O'clock in the morning.

"Didn't know you played guitar Jane" Donnie yelled over her guitar playing. "pretty cool."

It wasn't long before James clapped his hands loudly and shouted. "Look what I found!"

In his hand was a bottle, in the other a Karafe.

Donnie twinged with joy at the sight of it and snatched it without a seconds hesitation. Ripping the cap with his bare teeth, he tilted it back and emptied half the contents on the spot.

TK took another bottle and nursed on it slowly twitching after a moment and began to cough. He was only trying to followDonnie's lead, scared of angering him and making him believe he was not useful or manly enough to be there, which he feared would end in him being killed.

Nora shook her when offered as did L, and then the rest all complied without hesitation. It was a regular party.

Nora supervised, making sure nothing got too crazy and L simply sat there, knees to his chest in the chair, a lollipop firmly in place inside his mouth.

"Hey, Sugar pop. Have a drink would you?" Donnie said as he finished the song off and everyone began cheering, some teetering off of sobriety already.

"No, I find no use in it." L responded at the nickname which he instantly could tell seemed to be a reference to the lolli placed in his mouth that he sucked on happily.

"How about you, Mom?" Donnie nodded towards Nora with a classic smirk.

"No thanks. I want to make sure that nothing gets out of control."

"Trust me Queenie, nothing'll go wrong. Everyone get's one bottle right? Nothing bads gonna come of of that. THese things barely contain enough alcohol to get the edge off. But they do get it off somewhat. What better way to smooth the stress out?"

"Well,-"

"You can't, there is no other way babe. Just pickup the bottle and take a few swigs. That's all. Make yourself happy for once."

Nora looked into his eyes for a moment before blushing and looking away. "Alright..but only a few sips to calm me down..I suppose I deserve it and may need it."

"Oh, before you get too happy, Miss..Sawyer?" L asked slowly with a bit of hopein his voice, something not exactly common to the ears those days.

"Oh, Yes Lawliet?"

"I forgot, idiotically, about you being a psychologist. It seems the others did also as they did not correct me as they should have. I would like for you to help evaluate the others if they are convicted of being insane. Of course, perhaps you found it impolite to correct me or something, however, I'd like you to know that from now on, I would like for you to correct me anywhere you see fit."

She opened her mouth slightly in some surprise but reminded herself not to let her jaw hang. "Of course."

She smiled warmly at the expressionless boy before taking the bottle and taking a few swigs of happiness.

The night wore on to the bright arrays of sunshine, everyone sleeping where they had landed, save for a certain bed head would still sat in the same spot, reviewing the maps once again.

Donnie was the first to wake, oddly. "Ah...oh god.." He whispered as he stretched his back out and cracked his neck slowly as he stood.

"Best part? No hang overs..just exhaustion.." He whispered before noticing he had company. "Oh, L..ya' ever sleep buddy?"

"No."

Donnie doubled back as he looked at him suspiciously,one eyebrow raised. "You don't have to keep watch, I'm pretty sure were all alright.."

"I know that.."

"You an insomniac or somethin'?"

L looked up from the paper, stared at him for a moment as Donnie took in his dark circles that had been present since day one.

"The day we woke..it was the first time I had been...unconcious or asleep for a very long time.."

"Weeks? Months? Or Years?"

L didn't get the chance to respond as the others began to arouse to their senses.

Maddie rubbed her eyes slowly and stretched as the other did also. Nora was up last, ironically Donnie being up first.

Nora gave a mock pout as she saw the man standing already, facing L. Nora then gave a worried look towards L.

"How much did you sleep L?" She asked.

"He doesn't sleep, Insomniac as he tells me." Donnie responded for him, understanding the most likely onset of annoyance coming to L even though he would never actually show it too much.

"Insomniac?" Nora asked as she faced towards L.

He payed little to no attention and set right back to studying the notes on the paper, reviewing them over and over before looking up once and then looking down once more.

Nora shook her head and then looked towards Donnie. "You were up first, I presume then?" She asked as she placed a hand on her hip.

"Yes.." He drawled as he began to brew the coffee.

"Well, and why shouldn't of you?" She replied sarcastically as she reached for a bananna off the counter and began to nibble on the fruit.

"That doesn't even make sense, Sweet Cheeks." Donnie replied with a small chuckle

A sudden _'BANG'_ sounded throughout the mansion and all went silent. Everyone looked towards the origin though. It was James.

James grunted and shook his head,

"This doesn't make sense! What were doing..." He yelled and came off with a whisper as he looked around at each person who met his gaze.

"We sit around and drink up, have parties? This is really what we have all come to? We should be doing something!"

it was silent as he stood up on a chair, face full of rage and eyes of malice. It was in a way, terrifying. TK hitched a breath and all at once saw his scar, his father, everything, flash before his eyes. He made a soft squealing noise before moving behind Nora.

Donnie's eyebrows began to furrow as he saw the fear being instilled to the boys heart. He crossed his gaze with L and they both understood something at once. James needed to calm down soon, or he was going in the body room.

"James, calm down bro. Listen, you need to chill out alright? What is your position on this? You think we should just start killing each other off? Kill the women? Kill the youngest first?"

James' eyes softened a little and could see the darkness behind his thoughts begin to overcome him.

"Maybe I do." James replied softly as he stepped down slowly off the table of the dining room.

"Woah there!" Donnie yelled out at him as he stepped forward, infront of TK and Nora who both felt their hearts drop into their stomach.

James huffed and stopped in his spot before opening his mouth to speak again, but not before he was cut off by a certain bed head.

"Wait..maybe...just maybe James is right. maybe we should start killing each other off...kill Nora, then TK, then Donnie, then maybe...ourselves? Why not? Why not kill everyone off? Hm, james? Let's begin. Right now, get a knife, get a gun. Start." L replied as his voice began to get more a personality in it by the minute, the british accent coming out just a tiny bit more.

Maddie gasped and looked over at the boy with black hair sticking in almost every direction possible. Had she been wrong? Had she judged him prematurely? Was he just another vicious killer?

L took a step forward towards James. "Start with me." L whispered in his face.

james could smell the coffee and sugar and showed through the fear in his eyes as he saw the unnerved eyes bore into his. blackness beneath his eyes to show he was deprived many days of sleep, but was still fully alert of everything happening around him.

"Let's start...now."

James breathed in slowly and then stood down as he backed off and put a hand to his head.

"I...I'm sorry...I have Multiple Personalities and..I just...I'm sorry.." James replied as he recovered into a chair.

L gave a half-smile and nodded and he backed off also.

Donnie gave a sigh of silent relief and clapped L on the back. "Good Job Sugar pop. Excellent Performance, had _me _almost worried."

L just stared on with his half-smile and then nodded slowly. "Yes, alright." he whispered as he stared into James's eyes once more.

"Well James. I'm guessing you must of...taken medication before, am I correct?" L asked slowly.

"Y-Yeah...took them to keep me leveled ya' know?"

"Yes. I understand. I also understand that if that side comes out again, your not going to be welcomed here. You'll have to try and keep it under control, if you can't..I'll have to bind you up. If that doesn't help...you'll be thrown in the room."

James nodded once more un understanding and scratched the back of his head, emotions flooding his mind. "I'm...I'm gonna take a walk.." he whispered as he began out the door.

It went silent in the room once more before everyone uneasily got back to eating their breakfast, wether it be cereal or a fruit, or in Donnie and L's case Ice Cream, they all sat around the table, every once in a while each would eye the seat that lie empty.

It took a fully thirty minutes for another sound to reach anyone's ears, but all in all, they wish it had never reached.

It was a blood curdling scream that came from outside the room.

"James.." Nora whispered in the exact time that Donnie reacted.

Donnie jumped from his chair in surprise and looked around the table at each person carefully, the cold sweat already beginning to form a sheen on his brow.

He turned around all at once as L jumped from his perching position and ran across the table jumping quickly over Donnie and Donnie followed suit, catching up in no time flat.

The others all followed as adrenaline rose.

"James!" Nora yelled out as they made it through a door, she watched as Donnie slowed down a little to allow L to take lead as he knew the Mansion frontwards and backwards by then.

"James!" She yelled once more.

Another scream sounded out and they quickened pace.

L only hesitated for a minute as he practically burst through a door and Donnie sped up. As they rounded a corner, they all saw James being forced against the wall by a man in all black with a mask tightly on his face.

L's breath hitched and he slowed as Donnie ran full force into him and punched him in the face. The man tried to duck but made no such luck and Donnie also grabbed him by the leg and tripped him. He held him down by pushing into his abdomen before getting close in his face and breathing heavily.

"Who in the HELL are you?" Donnie screamed as he panted.

There came no reply from the masked man and L stepped in. He walked carefully up to the man and looked at him slowly.

"Why are you here Mio?" L asked slowly.

Donnie looked over at him in surprise. "You know this freak?" Donnie asked increduosly.

The others watched the scene unfold as L lightly pushed Donnie away from the masked person in disguise before the removed the cowl and it was revealed it was a woman.

Her dark long locks slowly falling around his face, her beautiful curvy eyes searching everyones eyes.

"I..I'm very sorry, Lawliet. But you see...I've switched sides.."

All at once it was noticebal to everyone that L's heart dropped when his mouth opened slightly and his eyes turned a shade grayer.

TK's breath hitched as he saw dread in his eyes, he looked at Nora who stood next to him and pulled on her shirt. She looked down quickly and watched sympathetically as TK signed to her,

_"L is sad?" _

She looked down for a moment before replying, _"I believe so.." _

Jane stepped forward harshly. "Who is she L?" She demanded.

L didn't reply but instead let her brush by him as she stood and she drew a knife.

"L!" Jane screamed at him as the woman stood in front of him and finally passed by and looked at James.

"Your no longer necessary." She whispered to the man before she begun her descent with her hand towards the boy.

Donnie screamed with rage as he stuck his arm in front of where her knife was about to plunge into his heart. The knife glistened within his arm as the crimson seeped out, staining the metal.

"Suit yourself.." She whispered as she drew another from the other hip. "You wouldn't do it twice."

"How the hell would you know?" Donnie asked her as his eyes glistened with hate and contempt.

L closed his eyes slowly before he felt gave her a hard blow to the back with his foot as he kicked backwards.

"L?" She whispered in a hurt whispered as she collided with the wall and slowly slid down it.

"Mio.." he responded indifferently, "Very clever. You couldn't get what you wanted on the side you took up so you simply switched over. Finding yourself an assassin for a lonely Scottish man..interesting..."

"You don't know what I want!"

"But I _do_ know how far you would go to _get_ what you want."

She screamed in rage before running full force at him with knife. He simply slapped her hand away as she came at him and used a complicated leg strike at her knee to diverge her.

Her face fell as she realized she was to no match, she looked into his eyes before she closed them slowly and nodded.

"I understand.." She whispered. She dropped her knife on the floor and then slowly made her way to the frightened James.

"It doesn't matter, he will die in three..two..one.."

Another scream sounded out before the man before her choked, gurgled the blood that came pooling out his mouth and died there.

TK's eyes were thankfully hidden behind a pair of feminine hands that were owned by Nora.

Maddie turned away as did Scarlett as Jane closed her own before turning her attention to a teary eyed Nora.

"Wonderful display Mio.." L replied as he looked at the now dead man. "Now, do you come as you fancy or when your keeper tells you?" he asked once again, monotonously and bored with only a hint of wit inside his words.

She smiled and chuckled slightly before making a quick move and capturing L within her arms embrace. She chuckled lowly before taking the butt of her knife and slowly caressing his face with it as he twitched from the human contact.

"I just know how much you _love _being touched and so close...I thought I'd give you a hug.." She whispered as she got into his face.

His heart rate quickened and he swallowed his screams and pleas, trying to show no weakness.

"Put him down!" Nora screamed.

"No." Mio replied with a small pout on her face.

Donnie gnashed his teeth together, trying to think of a plan.

"Donnie, leave it alone.." L replied as he heard him struggle to catch a full breath.

"Ma'am. I would think it best if you put the boy down.." A sudden strong voice sounded throughout the hallway.

It was the sound of a military trained man, it was Jose.

"I would think it best if I kept him close.." She whispered.

Jose stepped forward, "I'm only warning you ma'am."

"I'm only _commanding _you, solider." She replied with a wink.

Jose gasped as he felt a few scenes unfold within his mind from his days in the war, the cross fire, the blood, the hate, the love, and the undying will to give yourself for the country.

"Aw, did I hit a weak spot?" She whispered and chuckled softly before she took the knife raised it slowly and brought it quickly to L's abdomen.

There were a few gasps and short screams before everyone saw he had not been injured and that Mio had been apparently teasing them all.

"No..I won't kill him here.." She whispered as she slowly bent down and let her arms slide down his back until it got to the back of his knees.

That's when L lost it.

He screamed and in a nanosecond forced his elbow into her head, shover himself back into her embrace to hopefully make her fall, anything to exit her touches.

Donnie came at full speed, taking that as his que to beat the living christ out of her. He came at full force guns a blazing but it was to no avail as she picked L up Bridal style much to L chargin and ran and hit a wall with precision. It opened as a secret passageway and she made her getaway, L in her arms.

Everyone stood in silence as they mused over what had just happened.

"Oh my god." Nora whispered and put a hand to her mouth as she thought it over, James was dead, Donnie was injured, and L was kidnapped.

"Oh my god!" She yelled and backed herself against a wall until she slid down it hand covering her already blood shot eyes.

Donnie yelled in rage for the umpteenth time that day and hit the wall, and again and again, but it never opened. He couldn't win.

He hit it once more until he felt his own lungs begin to deceive him and he fell to the ground in shame, eyes closed and unconscious.

"Donnie!" Maddie squeaked and ran to his side and as Nora recovered herself quickly made her way to him as she felt for a steady pulse.

"We need to get him in a bed, someone look for a first aid box, there's bound to be one around here, and somebody else, come with me so I'm not alone, I think I'll kill myself if I'm alone.." Nora yelled out all at once as she put a hand to her head.

"Was that a joke or were you serious?" Scarlett asked a bit unnerved by the comment.

"I'm not sure anymore.." Nora replied, the hurt evident within her eyes.

**Thank you for the reviews and thank you for reading. I would appreciate more reviews and more reading along with it. **


	6. Puzzle

**House of 9**

_First off, here is the list of who is still in the game._

* * *

><p><em><span>Lawliet<span>- The mysterious, broken, orphaned, Weird, Genius (Phew..that was a mouthful)_

_Jose- The Psycho Solider_

_Donnie- The Funny Druggie_

_TK-The Deaf Younger Brother_

_Nora- The Mother-hen_

_Scarlett-The Broken Orphan (Another one that are no way related.)_

_Maddie- The Broken Doll_

_Jane- The Beautiful Schizophrenic Mystery_

* * *

><p><strong><em>!PLEASE READ THIS!<em>**

**_!Before you begin to read:!_**

**_I know I have not posted this in earlier chapter, however, if you'd like to know what is best to listen to when reading this: Type in youtube, Kodoku, it is the first video. It's full name will appear as: DeathNote OST Kodoku. This song is good for almost all the chapters._**

**_While reading the first part of this chapter; where Nora is contemplating with the clock ticking in the background, listen to Tokei No Hari No Oto. Type it in on Youtube and it is the first one. _**

* * *

><p><em>Monday, 8:05 AM <em>

_N_ora's heart raced still as she peered up at a black clock on the wall. It seemed there was at least one clock in every room. She bit her lip and shivered as she looked down at the body lying on the bed next to her. She put a hand on his forehead and swallowed slowly when she felt his slight fever had not gone down.

Tending to his wounds were not too difficult. All in all he had the stab wound which luckily had not gone all the way through his arm as it appeared but rather only the very tip of the knife had gone through a third of his arm. It was still very deep and very dangerous though, and she fretted over it every minute or two.

Perhaps it was the nervousness, perhaps it was the utter lack of stress relief that bothered her most. But no matter the problem, the silence gave her time to think and to review over the happenings so far.

The tick of the clock was the only sound throughout the room and her hand slowly inched it's way across the bed spread to the say person lying the bed currently asleep in a sort of fevered dream.

She watched slowly and closed her eyes, letting the ticking set her into a sort of dream state...

With each tick she thought over each person she encountered at the house..L, Jane, James, Maddie, Scarlett, Jose, TK...

Donnie.

She finally had reached his hand and wrapped her fingers around his own warm one...

She thought over these people,

Jane, she was such a lovely girl..shy yet lively..a pleasure to be around of course and yet there was something about her that Nora just didn't know about..

James, he was dead now but Nora saw in him something perhaps the others had not. To others, maybe he was just a multi Personality freak, but to her..she could see underneath him. She saw he was afraid like the others. His true self was clawing it's way but the other parts of him kept trying to reach the surface.

Maddie, She appeared to be just a normal shy girl, but something inside her was visibly broken. She avoided contact, avoided others..she couldn't be touched.

Scarlett, She was another mystery also. One that she would have to solve..

She paused briefly..she was beginning to sound like L..

Yes, then there was L,

L, one of the biggest mysteries. A light accent showing he was from the UK, deduction powers that far succeeded the others, a calm face and a gifted mind. But something lied underneath it. The way he reacted to being touched, it showed signs that he had not been around many other people, who cared for him at least, as a child.

The child state is the most important part in development. It showed through that he was gifted, but he denied any sort of emotion or real sentiment. It was as though he didn't know what these things were.

Then finally, there was Donnie.

Donnie, a man of many things. He appeared a rock n' roll porn lover from the outside, but was there really something hidden from underneath? Perhaps so. She could see beneath his rough exterior, he cared for anyone who was put into his hands, who he felt he had to care for.

The way he reacted when James was being attacked..it was as though he were protecting his own son, same as when L was kidnapped. He acted as though they were his little brothers and he would fight for them with his last dying breath.

He couldn't help but fight for them, he couldn't help but allow himself to almost die for them. He was..he was...

A sudden movement from beneath Nora's hand stopped her thoughts aburptly and she looked wideyed as he began opening his eyes and he turned to look at her into the bleakness.

She smiled warmly, despite the fear rising in her throat.

He cleared his throat and snorted when he saw her by his side.

"Don't move too much..your badly hurt, Ok?"

Donnie then frowned at her as she saw her fake smile and bland, pained eyes.

"Don't patronize me, Nora." He replied hoarsley and immideatly began coughing.

She sat up a little straighter and let her smile fall as she grasper the cold glass of water beside the bed stand and gave it to him almost forcefully.

He took it without even looking to see what the contents of the glass were, downing it within a second. After a moment, he clicked his tongue some and gave a look of slight disgust.

"It was water, ever heard of it?" Nora asked whipping out her best dry humour.

He cracked a half-smile before setting his face straight again.

"How long was I out?" He asked slowly as he stared up at the clock, squinting.

"Just a night." She replied quietly.

"James..I know he's dead..right?"

"Yes.." She replied quietly.

He let his eyes drop and made a move to smash his fist into his palm but stopped when pain arouse. He grimaced and Nora only fretted more, but before he could allow her to say anything he began speaking again,

"L..what happened? Did ya' get-"

Half way through her frown deepend and that was enough to answer.

"Dammit." He replied softly as he leaned back some more. "Dammit!"

A tear was jerked from her eye and she let it slide before wiping it away once it reached her cheek.

She put a hand to her head and found that her bun had come severly out of place.

"Excuse me.." She said quietly as she stood up, walking across the room to the bathroom before opening the door and entering, she did not close it. She wanted to be able to hear if he even made the slightest move within the room.

She took the band out from her hair and shook her head slightly, allowing her hair to flow down to full length which reached to her shoulder blades, which earned her an immature whistle from the connected bedroom.

She gasped almost horrified and looked in, hands firmly placed on her hips.

"...Should keep it down like that.." He suggested with a small smirk.

"Well, since you said it like_ that_, I think I'll just...put it back_ up_.." She replied, a faint smile tugging at her lips.

"Aw, come on, darling."

"No." She replied forcefully as she gave an almost ghostly smile.

She stared into the mirror, her skin had become slightly flushed but she blamed this of course on the nervousness the preceding days had brought to her. She was of course in way exactly pale but rather a light tan.

She ignored this however and continued with her bun. Pulling it again back tightly she exited the bathroom by switching the lights off once more.

She made her way to the bed were she was astonished to find Donnie standing by. Had she not kept the door open so she may here him? Had she really been _that _caught up in thoughts?

She grabbed his elbow and glared at him before letting the back of her hand hit softly against his forehead. He leaned in to the touch with no signs of childish behaviour.

It seemed his fever had indeed gone down and she allowed the movement.

"Alright, but if I notice anything, I mean one _symptom _your going back to bed, do you hear me?"

He laughed off handedly and nodded, "Yeah, yeah Mom. I'm gonna be alright. Listen, we can't just lie around here..we already lost one man. We can't lose another.."

It surprised her as to how he could begin on such a happy note and end in such a deathly serious one. It almost scared her..

She stared into his eyes for a moment before her glare softened immensly, it turning into one of sadness.

She looked down at his bandaging and then to his eyes. "I know.." She whispered.

It was once again silent within the room, but this time, the silence did not grant her an easy way to let her thoughts flow, but rather an awkward void to let her emotions gather into a bottle.

But at least the silence was broken quick enough, he brushed her hand with his own and began walking out the door, shirtless.

She followed in suit, ignoring the fact of his undress before stopping him. She put a hand on his bare chest and looked into his eyes. "What are you planning? You can't just walk out there, guns blazing like you did before. It'll get us all killed..you'll become the enemy."

He was quiet again. the ticking of the clock seemed to be doing wonders for him too. Each of his thoughts flowed through almost like a filet as he thought carefully.

"Your right.." He whispered.

She had never seen him so serious, she had never seen his face so full of sadness and rage at the same time. It hurt her, filled her with almost pain to see his eyes filled with such..displeasure? No, it was more than that..it was verging on depression.

"Your right." He said the next time, with more force. "I'm not going to become the enemy..I'm gonna become the hero. I'm gonna find out just what needs to be done. This guy..he's gonna tell me what the hell he's planning! He's gonna tell me what in the hell he did with L!"

Nora nodded and for once allowed him to walk out the door. She stood staring at the empty wall for only a minute before exiting herself, catching up to him within minutes.

As he rounded a corner, emerged from the hallway and came to two rounded staircases that led to the table, they both saw the others sitting at the table.

Jose, Scarlett, Jane, TK, Maddie, and finally came in Nora and Donnie.

"Donnie.." Jane said as she stood up surprised, "Your feeling better?"

"Never better." He mumbled as he came down the stairs forcefully. "Yo!"

It was silent in the room as he began to yell.

"Hey! Old wheezer, why don't you just tell us what the hell you did to L? Huh? You basterd! You killed James, and now kidnapped L? How 'bout we get a little respect here? You throw us into _your _sick ass game and take two people in one day? No, give us back L!"

There was a sudden crackle and surprsingly, the old man did have enough guts to answer.

_'Hello Donnie, does there seem to be a problem?' _

"You've got at least one thing straight!"

_'My greatest apologies, what could possibly be wrong?' _

" Don't talk to me like a child! Tell what the hell you did to L, you bastard!"

_'Tsk, Tsk. No need for such foul language. I assure you, he is fine.' _

Relief was then a blanket that wrapped around each of them as they felt their own hearts being placed in the correct spot, no longer was it in their stomachs.

_'However,' _

It was a word that changed everything, spirits depleted again and nausea swept over as they heard the simple word become menacing within a nano-second.

_'Yes, However, I may say, he will not be given back unless I am given something in return..you see. For the past groups I have tested..I have seen that they were all only money hungry..all wanting nothing more than the prize, so of course, they killed each other off slowly..one by one they were plucked and killed..Now..this group, I can clearly see, has so much more potential. This will be my greatest achievment, _

_'Now, listen here, and listen close, I will give you back your sweet little Lawliet only if you agree to something vital. You must agree to play the game. This house is swarmed in clues, swarmed in evidence as to how to get out. How to escape. TO figure out how to escape, you must figure out who I am, where you are, amoung other things..figuring each of these questions out, you will discover in the end, how to escape. If you solve say puzzle, you will be allowed to leave as you wish, however, no money will be awarded, _

_'Do you agree? Do you all agree to play the game?' _

There was a ripple of nods and a determined, "Yes." from Donnie.

_'Good then..your precious L will be returned in due time..if you all make your way to where he was last seen, I assure you all he will be there within five minutes. I just must inform Mio, to release him. That is all.' _

With that the speakers shut off.

The others looked around in hesitation. Slightly fearing the worse. Who knew what would happen if they went down there? Who could possibly guess?

Jane looked fearfully towards the group but never the less stood up before making her way slowly by TK's side.

"TK..you _are _alright, right?" Jane asked as she put a hand on her shoulder.

He looked up at her and he nodded slowly with a small smile. She gave a smile back to him and grabbed his arm, giving him a tight squeeze. "Don't worry so much, everything's gonna be okay..were gonna get L and then..well then were gonna solve this."

He nodded and gave a thankful smile in her direction. He felt almost reassured at her words and allowed her to hold his arm as Donnie led the way back down to the small room.

Nora stood beside Donnie as he led, Scarlett right behind, then Jane with TK, following came Jose, and lastly came Maddie.

Seven, all together and were hoping to recover their eighth.

They all followed tightly together as they finally made it to the small room. Nora looked at the white gold watch on her wrist, looking down at it carefully.

She had checked the time the voice on the box had said it would be around five minutes and it seemed it had been four minutes, thirty seconds.

She breathed in slowly, allowing herself some space to breath. The clock ticked again, it ticked again.

Three...two...one.

The secret passage door at that moment opened quickly, and the familiar bed-headed boy stumbled through forced as it seemed, falling to the ground on his hands and knees.

**Thank You for Reading. Please Review Once More for the Sake of My Satisfaction. **


	7. I

**House of 9**

_First off, here is the list of who is still in the game._

* * *

><p><em><span>Lawliet<span>- The mysterious, broken, orphaned, Weird, Genius (Phew..that was a mouthful)_

_Jose- The Psycho Solider_

_Donnie- The Funny Druggie_

_TK-The Deaf Younger Brother_

_Nora- The Mother-hen_

_Scarlett-The Broken Orphan (Another one that are no way related.)_

_Maddie- The Broken Doll_

_Jane- The Beautiful Schizophrenic Mystery_

* * *

><p><strong><em>!PLEASE READ THIS!<em>**

**_!Before you begin to read:!_**

**_I know I have not posted this in earlier chapter, however, if you'd like to know what is best to listen to when reading this: Type in youtube, Kodoku, it is the first video. It's full name will appear as: DeathNote OST Kodoku. This song is good for almost all the chapters._**

**_Do the same as said before in Youtube but also try out the song Kuroi Light. _**

* * *

><p><em>Monday, 4:05 PM <em>

There they all were again, sitting at the dining table together, looking at each other carefully. Only moments ago the scottish man had insisted that since L was returned he replay exactly the conversation they had, had previously before L had been given back so as they would have no excuse as to why they couldn't solve the case.

It didn't make much sense, however, L showed no emotion towards the conversation but rather listened carefully and then sat in silence afterwards, luckily, he also broke his own stir of awkwardness.

"What was everyone doing the moment you were kidnapped?"

Everyone looked down at the Panda-eyed bedhead before each gave a slightly confused look.

"What does that even matter right now Sugar Pop?" Donnie asked with a slightly confused look on his face.

L ignored the nickname that apparently had been christened upon him as though he were some sort of boat and look down at the red-headed man.

"It matters.." He droned softly drawling out the last part carefully as he slowly let his eyes rise towards the ceiling, a thumb casually going towards his mouth as he began to chew on it thoughtfully.

It was silent around the table for a moment before Nora finally spoke up,

"I..I was leaving work, I was on my way to the store to pick up some things and before I went inside I was grabbed by someone...in an allyway..that's the last thing I remember though."

"I was going to my boyfriend, Ethans, house the night I was kidnapped..I was walking to his apartment and I was grabbed inside a car..that was the last thing _I _remember.." Scarlett then carried on and looked expectantly at the person who sat next to her.

Jane cleared her throat and nodded softly, "I was going home..I had been out that day, just wandering the town..I had gotten bored..I was walking home and-"

She was suddenly cut off by the nail-bitter in front of her,

"Who do you live with, exactly?" L asked carefully his head beginning to cock to one side.

"...My grandparents."

"What happened to your real Parents? They are dead?"

"Of course not!"

"Then what happened to them?"

"...I don't know!"

"Of course you know."

"I do _not._"

"..."

"..."

It was silent betwixt the two before Jane finally cleared her throat again and began talking, "Anyway..I was walking home and-"

"What time was this around, again?"

Jane gave a slightly annoyed look before softening her glare and sighing, she had to admit, she was being pretty vague.

"It was about..seven O'clock."

"Alright, continue."

"Okay, it was about seven and I was walking home to my grandparents when I was suddenly grabbed out of my peripheral vision. They took me into a condemned building they had been working on for months..I don't know why I had actually gone so far off that I had landed in a bad neighbor hood but..I did. That was the last thing I remember."

The next person took the reigns and it seemed to of landed upon Jose.

"Well..I had been doing some field training, some basic stuff really, on my way home..Yeah..on my way home I decided to take some kind of short cut, through some kind forest, I don't really know why, however, I did, and the next thing I knew I was shot in the back..most likely something to knock me out.."

L interjected between the passing of stories and stated,

"First off, it seems all kidnappings so far have happened, one way or another, on the way 'home' it also seems these all happened during the evening and that we have been recruited especially and most likely had been stalked all day. I was thinking this when Nora had first told her story, however, when Jose said he had taken a shortcut through a _'forest' _it struck me odd that someone would be hiding in a forest waiting for someone to come through, they also had enough to sense to carry a dart rather than try to smuggle him. They knew he was a strong soilder.

"This is why they had withdrew kidnapping you until they had personally supervised you and your capabilities. Your weaknesses and strong points even perhaps. It's also clear that this man has many working for him as we all clearly come from different places. Myself not even being from the same country as many of you..however, I know who most likely took care of my kidnapping..she lives part-time in England, part-time Japan. That doesn't matter though..continue.."

'Woah, woah, wait L, you say you know who took care of your kidnapping and then you demand we just continue on with our stories?" Donnie replied before the next could take the reigns of story time.

"No..I said I _most likely knew _who take care of my kidnapping...there's a eight-seven percent chance actually.."

"Percent?" Jane questioned with a curious look about her face.

"However, I can't be positive without evidence, anyhow, yes, I would like for the stories to continue..so, Maddie? You are next.." L continued, either not being blessed of the gift of hearing at that moment, or he was simply ignoring.

"Oh..alright.." Maddie replied softly before puting a hand at her wrist and looking a bit nervously at L. "Well, I was going to my fathers house actually, I was nervous about having to talk to him, but I had to. I had to discuss with him about my moving, it had to do with college reasons actually...

"I was moving about two cities away actually and on my way to his house..a sudden pair of headlight was coming my way..as if they wanted to play Chicken or something, I swerved over in fear and the last thing I remember is opening my eyes, I saw I wasn't hurt but it was dark and I was cold. I thought it was the paramedics getting me out of the car but..I guess it wasn't."

"Why did you have to discuss your moving with your father? You say it was not a choice, but rather..enforced.." L asked bluntly as he scooched forward, elbows now on the table as he looked into her slightly skittish eyes,

"I...well, you know how it is with parents.." Maddie tried to laugh off as she put a hand to her neck nervously and laughed almost hollowly.

"No, I don't." L replied.

This is what caught almost everyone off guard at the table, the way he stated it made it sound as if it was simply normal. He said it with no sound of anguish,or hurt in his voice. He said it without a single drop of emotion other than straight forward-ness.

"Oh...I...I'm sorry.." Maddie replied softly.

"That doesn't matter, I'm asking you why you had to tell your father you were moving...actually no, you used the keywords, discuss, meaning you had to almost ask his permission...I've never had parents but I don't think it normal to ask permission when your grown and in college."

Maddie bit her lip,

Damn, it was like nothing could subdue him, if he had a thought in mind, he asked it with no hesitation and he asked it in front of everyone as though it needed to be public.

"Okay...maybe your right...it's not _normal _but not everyone is _normal_, L. I mean, look at you. Your one to preach on normality!"

L's expression didn't even waver, he simply stared on, not backing off for a single second. A blink or two was all the reaction she got.

"I see." L responded, "It actually would of been better on _your _end to just tell me...see, now I _know _your hiding something...you don't deter a question unless it's worth it."

Maddie softened a bit before beginning again,

"L..I'm sorry..I just lost my temper..." Maddie began, "I didn't mean it, listen, your right...it doesn't help in the situation were in to lie...I had to ask my father because in all actuality he's almost like my keeper...forgve me for not going too into detail but, my father was an abuisve man who actually killed my mother, he's a coward who sits in fear of me telling on him, so he tries to keep a close eye on me. We had to discuss me moving to another city..because of that.."

L cleared his throat and nodded.

"Alright, continue on."

It was as simple as that, he got the information he needed and now it was on to the next victim.

"L, before you go on to the next person, I...I didn't know you had no parents. Don't you have a guardian?"

"I don't find that information relevant." L dejected slowly before allowing Donnie to start on his own story,

"Okay..let's see...uh...Right, yeah. I was at a.._party_, yeah, just drinkin' havin' a good time whatever, and next thing I knew, I had to take a piss...really bad. I just went out the backdoor real quick. I didn't know it led into an ally and didn't think it mattered. I was too drunk to even aim right, much less did I pay attention to location.

"So, yeah, I don't even remember being smuggled, all I remember is peeing, and then turning around and _'BAM!'_ lights out for Donnie...damn...and I _know _at some point that night..I was gonna get it good with Mika Tan, I swear..I mean that girl was-"

"Thanks, Donnie, thanks.." Nora said cutting him off abruptly showing her hands up in the air, an obvious sign of disgust.

L simply looked wide-eyed at him before nodding at TK.

TK looked hopeful at L before signing to him,

_'Can you sign?' _

L cocked his head to the side and Nora was just about to translate for him when L spoke,

"Yes, you can read lips?"

_'Yes.' _

_"_Would you prefer I signed?"

_'Yes, please?' _

_'Okay then, TK, go ahead..' _

_' I was at the park, there was no one there and I liked he swings a lot. It started getting dark so I knew I needed to head home so..that's what I was doing..just heading home.' _

_'What's the last thing you remember?' _

_'I was going rounding a corner before someone tapped me on the shoulder, I turned around and that's the last thing I remember.' _

L nodded and then sighed, "I suppose it's not fair to share my story..."

L fidgeted slightly and then blinked once or twice before moving his eyes to trace the top of the ceiling,

"It was raining outside, I knew that much but the Church Bells were ringing...I really dislike those bells...I don't like the sound..but for some reason, whenever the rung I felt a need to sit and listen, anyhow.."

L paused as he stuck his finger in finger in his mouth and curved it so that it touched the inside of his bottom lip before letting it rest inside as though it were a hook and he were a fish. Very odd, yet it seemed almost normal for him to do something so strange.

"I suppose I'm stupid but I went ontop of the roof, in the pouring rain..it was about six or seven O'clock and it was very gray, obviously. I sat up on the roof, starring at the church as they continued the funeral. The body being held by a few people and being taken into an old-fashioned herse. Anyhow...the next thing that I could really remember clearly was someone yelling my name, I turned around to see who it was, but I didn't get to. The next thing I knew, I was falling off the roof. That's the last thing I remember."

"I know you've stated previously that you live in England, however, you said that you had no parents..do you live in an orphanage?"

L turned to see the question had been asked by none other than Nora,

"Yes..I do most of the time...it's a bit complicated..and long."

"Well, it's not like were going anywhere Sugar Pop." Donnie replied as he sat back, putting his arms behind his head, a smirk firmly placed on his lips.

L shrugged and sighed, "You have a good point..well, most of the time I live at the Whammy House, however, Watari Whammy, the founder of the orphanage..."

L paused for a moment as he looked down in silence.

"L?" Nora asked after a moments hesitation.

"Yes? Oh, right..well..I'm not exactly sure you'll all believe me, however, do you all know the aliase that the Famous Detective goes by? The one that takes on any case?"

Jane sat up a little farther in her seat and looked at him for a moment, Donnie did the exact same thing.

"L." Jane replied softly.

"Hey, I thought you were just trying to be a total rip off of that guy, either that or I thought you didn't realise it." Donnie said,

"No...I am L."

It wen't silent around the table before Nora put a hand to her mouth, "I..Oh my god."

"Dude, this is...weird." Donnie murmured as he put a hand to the side of his head,

"Wait, wait, wait...your saying, that you are _the _L?"

"Yes, of course." L replied as he then began to poke a fork at the cake that lied in front of him, where and when he had gotten, the others didn't know, nor would they ask, however, as he poked at it, it seemed to dawn on them more and more that they were in the presence of a genius. A mind that could succeed no other.

L then picked up the strawberry lying on his cake before pushing up with his legs to reach across the table. He held the strawberry and slowly dropped it in front of Jane,

"I'll give you this strawberry if you promise to keep it a secret, okay?"

"L, this is serious!" Jane fumed as she put a hand to her head.

"Not really, now let me get back to the story..so rude sometimes...anyhow, yes, so, as L at times I must go to the United States, or Japan, to solve cases that I choose and whatnot, however, Watari accompanies me so I suppose you may regard him as a sort of guardian..he tells me if I didn't have him, then I most likely would be dead..he thinks I can't take care of myself.."

L began on a small rant as he put his head glumly into his left hand, "He thinks I don't know how to take a break..I do to."

"So, Watari is kinda like your guardian?"

"Yes."

"Wait, guys, don't you guys see how great this is right now?" Donnie asked as he gripped the arms of the wooden chair. "We've got L, the super detective here, and we've got a case to solve! How the hell can it get better?"

"Donnie.." L started as he took a bite of cake, "..Mmm, do you think...that it's actually coincidence that I was brought along here to solve a case? That it's coincidence that L gets thrown into a Puzzle?"

The entire table began to speculate over this, each in deep thought.

"No..it's not." L answered for all of them as he sighed.

"But all together...we can solve this." Nora reasoned in an optimist light.

"Well..I never _said_ we _couldn't_...I was only asking a question.." L replied defensivley with a small pout on his face as he piched the last cherry ontop of the cake with his midle finger and thumb, carefully to be only touching the stem.

And in one swoop, he carefully bent his head back and let the entire thing drop inside his mouth before sticking his tongue out, cherry gone but in it's place a perfectly knotted cherry stem.


	8. Don't

**House of 9**

_First off, here is the list of who is still in the game._

* * *

><p><em><span>Lawliet<span>- The mysterious, broken, orphaned, Weird, Genius (Phew..that was a mouthful)_

_Jose- The Psycho Solider_

_Donnie- The Funny Druggie_

_TK-The Deaf Younger Brother_

_Nora- The Mother-hen_

_Scarlett-The Broken Orphan (Another one that are no way related.)_

_Maddie- The Broken Doll_

_Jane- The Beautiful Schizophrenic Mystery_

* * *

><p><strong><em>!PLEASE READ THIS!<em>**

**_!Before you begin to read:!_**

**_I know I have not posted this in earlier chapter, however, if you'd like to know what is best to listen to when reading this: Type in youtube, Kodoku, it is the first video. It's full name will appear as: DeathNote OST Kodoku. This song is good for almost all the chapters._**

**_Do the same as said before in Youtube but also try out the song Kuroi Light. _**

* * *

><p><em>Monday 5:55 AM <em>

It was dark..much too dark to be reality.

Running..chasing...he could feel it burn within his lungs as he ran through the gray snow.

_'Don't look back...don't look back..' _

It was cold...much too cold for him to go on...

He watched as the snow turned to ice and encased his feet before turning to water. The snow that had been falling gracefully from the sky turned into a icy down-splash upon him.

Looking up however, there was no sky..now it was the stained glass windows..all around him as the bells began to ring. He could only cover his ears as he heard the dreaded noise..the church bells..the church bells...the church bells...

Rain was pouring all around him..all around him it spat like an evil hurricane...the church bells rang on though, fiercly as he he screamed, tears pouring down his face in the never-ending rain ontop of the roof.

He looked out from the roof now, looking down upon the church. The church rang again, a body being carried out in a casket as he watched. The rain pouring even heavier, soaking him and chilling him to the bone as he watched carefully. Althroughout the loud rain though, he could still hear that bell...that awful bell.

He stared at the church some more before feeling himself slipping, and before he knew what had happened, every noise was gone. Now, there he stood looking at the looming, castle-like building. On the front, etched into a metal sign was the simple name,

_'Whammy House' _

Then there he stood, hand inside the older man next to him. He looked up at the man to see he still had a far off look in his eye.

There was not even a living breathing soul on the outside.

He turned his head slowly again to look at the Orphanage...no...

Then it hit him all at once again...the crying of the children...the gears turning inside the church..the stained glass windows...the bells...the screams..the rain...

Cold, dark, inhumane,

Death.

* * *

><p>L woke in an almost chilled sweat. His eyes blearly as he struggled to regain vision. It was dark.<p>

It was very dark and that's what made his skin begin to crawl as he saw no lights were on in the room. Had they just left him there?

No, they had not. He remembered..yes he remembered clearly..he had told all to get some sleep, he would be reviewing maps again and that they would begin the investigation in the morning. They went to bed, he turned off the lights. _He _had been the one to turn off the lights...all in name to see if perhaps there was some sort of glowing ink on the paper.

L fumbled around with his right hand as he shook his head, still trying as he must to regain his vision in the dark. It was futile but L, in his sleep mindset, did not even begin to think of this yet. He was groggy and now nervous.

He felt on the table the candle he had left for when he was done investigating the paper and lit a match that he had also left. Quickly he set one fire to another and grabbed the candle, swiftly making his way to turn on the lights.

He fought against the brightness when he had finally been able to turn them on and almost dropped the candle but had luckily shielded his eyes with one hand, holding the candle with the other before blowing it out and setting back in it's holster and then finally placing it back on the study table.

He sighed deeply and stood up for a moment before putting a hand to his chin nervously and then sitting in the cove-like living room off to the side, a few steps down.

There he switched from that couch, to the next chair, to the next chair, to the couch again.

The recording of the mans voice on the speakers ran through his head again, he thought it over carefully, each word playing an important role.

* * *

><p>Donnie stood over the sleeping form he saw in the bed. It was so peaceful...like an angel.<p>

But wasn't she?

Her hair out of her tight prostegious bun, her soft skin so close..her close breathing...her long eyelashes...

Donnie stared down at her for a few minutes longer before putting one of his hands on her cheeks. Her eyes began to flutter open and she looked in utter shock when she noticed his shirtless form above her.

She quivered slightly beneath his touch but he knelt down and put a hand to her hairline, suggesting he meant no harm.

She closed her eyes again and within a few easy moments, she was asleep once more. Donnie stood back up before slipping his shirt on over his head and poking her a few times.

She woke up and scolded him a bit with her seething eyes before removing herself from the warm comfort of the bed to follow him out the door.

* * *

><p>Sudden footsteps were not heard by the great slueth, as all at once, everyone seemed to be coming down.<p>

Nora, Donnie, Jane, Jose, TK, Maddie, and Scarlett.

L turned to them slowly when he finally did take into notice the sound of chairs being scrapped backwards against the floor.

They had all come down at the same time? He would need to question such a thing..it wasn't just coincidence they all came down at the same time..someone had given a wake-up call but who? Nora? Perhaps even Donnie who have done it, even if only to be anno-

That was it. L thought over the thoughts of the man again, than over the word playing in his mind.

Question.

Questioning.

Questions.

Mystery.

Mysteries.

Cases.

Yes, yes, yes.

L hopped from the seat at a quick pace and sat down at the dining table quickly, of course, no other waybut his awkward pose.

"Questions." He said quietly as he put a hand to his mouth, inching it's way inside.

"What about them?" Donnie asked as he gave him a strange look.

L only complied with a far-off one. "He," L began as he pointed at the box in the corner of the room, "said that we must answer other questions before we can answer the case, the final one."

"Yeah..that's obivous." Donnie replied taking a sip of coffee.

"Painstakingly so...wouldn't you agree?" L asked, eyes giving an almost Panda quality.

"Yeah..." Donnie replied slowly as though he were speaking to someone infantile.

"Well, he did that on purpose."

It was silent around the table before L squinted in unamusment. "None of you are following..."

It was silent again.

"Alright, he said _questions _as a key. A key meaning, we must answer each question we could possibly have... other than the questions on how to get out.. All questions must be answered..." When silence greeted once more he sighed for the umpteenth time and L started at a new approach,

"Think about it, if your solving a puzzle, you can't solve it with questions still in mind..right?"

"Yeah.." Donnie replied as he sat up a little closer.

"Right, so he used it as a _code _of some sort... We need to create a list of questions we all have. No matter what they are, they will need to be answered to complete this case."

"That's...that's very clever L.."

"Thank you.." L replied softly as he began to speak once again, but it was to of no use, the voice went over the system again,

_'Yes, how clever L. I knew at some point you would catch on, my witty little detective...' _The man over the speaker, however, did not exactly sound too happy.

_' Well, I did exactly as you said. I used the word Questions as a key word, you have figured that much out so I shall reward you.' _

Within just a few seconds time, a small piece of the wall popped itself out from the rest slightly and then slide down to reveal a small hole.

Inside contained a few items, some of the more noticeble ones being of course, car keys, a few pills bottles, and a wallet or two.

_'These were the items I took from you in the beginning. Usual groups do not get these things back so feel..'special.' At any rate, you have solved the first part of my puzzle, and it seems in no time at all, but don't fear L...a couple more epiphanys like you had not too long ago will not help you solve the rest of this case..' _

It was then again silent.

"Should we go..get our stuff?" Donnie asked a bit agitated as he walked up quickly and grabbed a pair of keys and a pill bottle, although this small move was unseen by thoughs who would even so much as care enough to comment.

The others also made their way, grabbing the small items littered around inside the small hole, save for L who in turn, had nothing in his pockets that he could really remember. He was still musing over this case. So..he had been testing him? Only testing him?

It was only a test of his powers?

This further increase stress levels on him and he could only sigh inwardly before walking away slowly, hands in pockets.

Walking over near the door that was locked and sealed, he brushed his hand lazily on it, deep in thought. The coldness sent vibrations up his spine.

Suddenly, something very warm was placed against the back of his arm. He turned around quickly to see Donnie smirking with the cup of joe purposfully hot enough to slightly burn his arm.

"Take it Sugar Queen." Donnie said quietly, a bit nervous as he noted L's almost somber expression. "Look, I put nine sugar cubes in there. It's practically mud."

"Thank you...but no...I am in no mood for anything sweet..." L replied softly as he turned away again.

"Wait, what?"

"You are what you eat...and right now..if you don't mind...I'd rather have black coffee...it's more bitter that way.."

Donnie's eyes in his turn, became mere slits.

"Why're you acting like this man?" Donnie asked as he slid his coffee over back onto a counter. "You just got all our crap back!"

L looked down at his feet before moving away towards the dining table.

"He's only testing me.."

Donnie looked at him perplexed as he opened his mouth slightly, almost appalled by what he was hearing.

"Really? Come on, L! So what if he's testin' you? You passed anyway!"

"Yes...that's why I am overwhelmed..at this point..who knows what will be a test and what will not? Who knows if we are even ever going to get out of this place? Everything from now on could just be another test and another one...to test and see how many times I will be tested before I give up on hope, perhaps?"

L mused over all this again and nodded remosefully to himself.

"Are you kidding me? Do you think you would really fall for that a hundred times over? Come on! Cheer up would 'ya? I mean seriously, you wouldn't fall for that everytime. You would figure out a way out before he could make you give up, L!"

"Cheep up? No..I'm sorry...I can't. It's probably better if I just stop trying so hard.." In this pause, L took the moment to place his finger in the same odd hook pose as he had before while taking a shaky breath, "By chasing this case so desperatly...were just putting everyones lives at risk..."

L looked up at the ceiling carefully, his eyes tracing every crevice and crack he could find at Donnie sighed and shook his head before reering back his fist,

"Yes...it's just a waste of time." Here, L slowly lowered his head, looking down at the ground in an almost desperate attempt to let his heart sink even farther down some dark hole that had opened up in the middle of his body.

"L.." Donnie began,

L looked up with a slightly confused look on his face as he saw the fist ready to connect with his face, but was that really what the druggie had in mind? Was that _really _the way he saw to helping others problems? It couldn't of been.

But within the next few seconds,L saw it really was.

The fist collided with his face, forcing him across the room and into the wall.

TK's eyes began to sparkle with tears and he breathed in almost shallow shaking breaths. The scene unfolded quite quickly and all he could see within Donnie was his own father.

TK screamed out and covered his eyes as the other two took no notice.

"Stop it!" Nora yelled as she put one foot in front to show, almost, as though, showing that she was very serious about her command.

"...You know..that really hurt.." L said monotonously as always as he lie sprawled on the floor before sitting up slowly, his back up against a wall and his head showing how dazed he was from the impact to his head.

"Now, that's enough! Stop being all depressed for no good reason, L! Your acting paranoid, and that's not you! All because your genius mind is being _tested_?" Donnie yelled, his fists balled against as he inched his way closer to L's dazed expression.

L slowly gathered himself on the floor as his arm swept across his mouth, wiping off the small trickle of blood where he had bit his lip slightly.

"Fine, perhaps I phrased it the wrong way, I meant, it would be pointless of us to actually try anymore, so...we shouldn't even bother.."

"If we don't try solve this, were never gonna' get out! Is that what you want?" Donnie yelled, a light shade of red beginning to overcome his face as he walked forward and grabbed L by his shirt, lifting him up just slightly to face him in the eyes.

"If we just gonna give up, why did you ever bother?"

L looked at him for a moment, his black hair moving forward to actually cover his eyes. How was it that this man got past looking anybody in the eyes? Every single time?

"I understnad.." L replied softly, "But still, whatever the reason..."

L slowly turned his head to the side before jerking himself free of the grasp and kicking upwards with his foot, smashing it into Donnie's face, sending him flying through the air.

"An eye for an eye, my friend.." L finished.

However, something L did no expect was that at the last moment, Donnie had grabbed L by the knee..which in turn seemed a very odd place to grab someone, however, it did the job that DOnnie wanted done. Sending them both flying through the air.

It just so happened to send them through the small cove and into the living room, where everyone ran to see the events continue.

Jane and Scarlett, watching in almost amusment, Nora watching to ensure the safety, and TK and Maddie watching out of somewhat fear, but felt naked being away from the group.

"Donnie, L, you both stop it, now!" Nora yelled as they tipped over the couch and it could be heard that they were struggling to stand up in their current position, behind the couch.

Donnie was actually in an almost sitting form on the tipped over couch. The bottoms of his feet noticeble and his back lying on the back of the couch.

L, however, had flown into the couch in an almost fetal position making it much easier for himself to stand up.

"It's not even so much that I'm being tested..it's more about the fact that I don't think there really is a way out of here. He's going to watch us solve the puzzle with our last dying breath and then laughs as he has us all killed by assasins."

"Did you just even _hear yourself_?" Donnie asked as he finally made his way to his knees on the back of the couch, where they both now looked into each others eyes.

"It's like you won't be satisfied unless there really _is _no way out of here!" Donnie continued.

"I won't be satisfied unless there is no way out of here..? Hm...I suppose there might be some truth in that...it would mean that I'm at least right about something and that might would actually settle my nerves...I wouldn't exactly like that answer...but, at least I would know that I didn't get played like a fool..."

Donnie snarled in anger before reering his fist back again and punching him square in the face as the other man tried to stand up.

The punch only made him fall again and he put a hand to his nose as he resumed his mission to stand up. Upon both of them standing up, L looked at him in the face again,

"As I said before...an eye for an eye...I'm _a lot _stronger then I look, you know." With this sentence, L turned himself around until his back was to Donnie and then did a sort of backwards kick.

Donnie stumbled but regained balance before grabbing him once again, by the shirt and reering up his fist. L, more in mock than seriousness, did the exact same and cocked an eyebrow at him, almost daring for him to do it.

L then gave a smirk as Donnie began to forward his fist. L ducked quickly but Donnie did not let go of his shirt. The shirt came off right in Donnie's own hands.

L's mouth went slightly agape as he looked over to see the shirt thrown to the side by that time.

L almost growled and pulled Donnie's shirt off in a sort of childish manner.

"We have to stop them!" Jane yelled out finally, before she noticing something horryifing.

She stepped back as did a couple of the others, including Donnie himself.

"L..hey, what the hell happened to you?" Donnie asked in an almost hoarse whisper.

Nora stepped forward before grabbing L's shirt and running to him with it. She slowly coaxed him into putting it on, but L didn't comply.

He finally looked down and saw, there was gauze all around his waist, he had never even noticed it before.

"I...when...when you were given back to us, after you were kidnapped..I fixed up some of your wounds and there was a cut on your waist in the shape of the letter L, I just fixed it up really fast..and I thought...well...I figured you _must_ of known it was there..."

"No..I actually had no idea it was there...Never felt the guaze even..."

Nora looked to Donnie who then looked back at her before lying there eyes again on L.

Donnie slowly helped L place his shirt on again before placing the couch up right and Nora told L in a very hushed voice to follow her into the Dining room.

There, Nora fetched the First Aid box again and began to unravel the guaze slowly. Showing his gruesome cut, L only watched in slight boredom, hardly even blinking at the cut.

Nora then proceeded to take out the small pack of needles, and took one by random and caefully stuck it in L's abdomen, warning TK before it was done to ensure he look away.

L didn't react at all, "I don't believe you even touched me with it.."

"L...I...stuck it in you..." Nora whispered.

L's face's finally did show an emotion as he looked down at his waist, one small pinhole sized drop of blood reaching the surface, far away from the 'L' shaped cut.

The emotion on his face was pure fear.

**Thank you for reviewing, please review again. **


	9. Think

**ATTENTION: **

**I made a terrible mistake. I deleted the chapter of Jose's death which had orginally been in this chapters place. **

**If you didn't get a chance to read the chapter: **

**In this chapter, the group found out that L's little problem was nothing bad, it was just that the Scottish man had put a sort of serum that made it impossible to feel anything in the abdomen and that it should be wearing off within a couple of hours because the scottish man didn't want to hurt him when he put the letter 'L' gash on him . **

**They also found out that L memorised the code to get in and out of that mysterious cave in which L had been kidnapped in, the code was 58933,**

**The group also discovered that L and Maddies assumptions were correct, they are indeed, on Point Nemo, Which is the small landmass farthest away to any other landmass on earth. **

**Upon exiting the house they noticed there was a pool, a bar, a stero behind the bar, a tennis court, a basketball court and a beach that was accesible. **

**Jose, having Schizophrenia and Deep Psychosis, hallucinated his imaginary friend Ricky who despite the Scotsman's warnings, tried to escape the island by swimming off to sea, he was as good as dead when he jumped in. **

**and Donnie made Nora slightly agitated with words that if they survived, they truly were Satan's Finest Creations and that they all had something in common, they were all broken and undeniably wrongfully created and brought up in the world, and that's why they were all there. **

**Nora made sure to yell at him and said Don't You Dare Say That. **

**Anyhow, that's the most important key points of what happened, that should be able to help you picture what had happened and shouldn't effect anything later in the story. **

**Sorry for the inconvenience to those who had not read the chapter but almost everyone DID read the chapter so I'm not going to go back and re-create the entire chapter..no, that would take an awfully long time..**

**Anyhow, there you are, a full Recap and this should be sufficient. **


	10. So

**House of 9**

_First off, here is the list of who is still in the game._

* * *

><p><em><span>Lawliet<span>- The mysterious, broken, orphaned, Weird, Genius (Phew..that was a mouthful)_

_Donnie- The Funny Druggie_

_TK-The Deaf Younger Brother_

_Nora- The Mother-hen_

_Scarlett-The Broken Orphan (Another one that are no way related.)_

_Maddie- The Broken Doll_

_Jane- The Beautiful Schizophrenic Mystery_

* * *

><p><strong><em>!PLEASE READ THIS!<em>**

**_!Before you begin to read:!_**

**_If you'd like to know what is best to listen to when reading this: Type in youtube, Kodoku, it is the first video. It's full name will appear as: DeathNote OST Kodoku. This song is good for almost all the chapters._**

**_Do the same as said before in Youtube but also try out the song Low Of Solipsism (1 and 2)_**

* * *

><p><em>IF YOU"RE CONFUSED!: <em>

_-R.I.P Jose-_

_Y__es, Yet another Authors Note. I apologize, however, I did have many people questioning the last chapter. _

_Well first off, if you're even interested at all, the reason I didn't update as frequently was because I went on vacation to the states and my oh my.._

_Anyhow, I wont go into much further detail on that. Well, what happened last Chapter: _

_Jose is an ex-soilder who slowly contracted Schizophrenia and Deep Psychosis. He has an imaginary friend named Ricky and this so called 'friend' told him to try and escape the island via the ocean. He ran into the ocean disregarding the mysterious scottish man and no, he did not die as soon as he touched the water, however, swimming out into the sea is futile as they are on Point Nemo. Point Nemo is real. It's a landmass farther away to any other landmass on earth. It's also reffered to as the Pole of Inaccsesibility. _

_Well anyhow, Jose eventually would die out in the middle of the ocean as it's unlikely he will run into any helpful fisherman as though this were a fairytale. And even if he were to survive, he is dead to the others since he is not there anymore. It's as if he's dead even if he does survive. Look at it however you want. Jose could of survived or have died from starvation, exhaustion, other sea creatures eating him alive. I really don't mind how you want to picture it. Anyway you want it, he is no longer in the story. _

_Sorry if that's too blunt but that's the way it is. _

_Thanks for Reading, Thanks for the Charcater Jose. He was good while he lasted in the House._

* * *

><p><strong>X<strong>

**X**

**X**

**X**

**X**

The remaining group stared on at the ocean for what seemed like hours as they watch the struggling figure swim off into the horizion until he became a speck amoung the waves. It was sunset as they noted, the orange melting within the aqua waters and the pink hues melting inside the cloudless pale blue sky.

It truly was a scenic sight before their very eyes. Something beautiful, something hopeful..it was truly a refreshment for their thirsty eyes. It had been so long since they had seen anything that held such meaning.

Nora stared into the colour of the sky bursting throughout the sky as though it were a firework.

No, it be wrong to compare it to such a cheesy festive toy, for this sunset meant so much more to her. The beautiful melting colours..yes they meant_ so_ much more to her.

It was almost a new beginning.

Perhaps, she thought, perhaps it was wrong to think of it in such a way. To think of new beginnings when someone who had been part of the close pact they had all made had together had just caught their death. It was true she felt the remorse as she held her hand close to her heart and bent her head gravely.

But she still made sure it was possible to see the orange fireball falling from the sky.

She lifted her head slowly and closed her eyes slowly before breathing in quietly and turning slowly to the man who stood next to her who also looked on at the sunset.

It appeared he hadn't finished staring into it. He hadn't gotten his fill just yet.

But who could blame him?

She hadn't even really gotten her fill either.

She watched him before he slowly turned his head in the same fashion, slowly turning it in an almost robotic way before his eyes closed slowly and re-opened with more compassion he had ever shown through.

This wasn't Donnie she was looking at..this was a different man, this was someone else..someone who had been kept under lock and key for a while. Or at least for as long as she had gotten to know him.

She stretched her arm out slowly as she put a thumb to his cheek and then slowly removed her hand again to bring it back to her side.

He stared into her own eyes for a moment before everything was broken with a few simple words.

"What now?" Whispered Jane.

Nora turned slowly to her and looked off slowly at the sun again and then wrapping her arms around herself. "Now?"

Donnie rubbed the back of his neck and shrugged before shoving his hands into his pockets.

"I don't know if there is much to actually do by now.." Scarlett whispered, "I..I want to give up.."

"No..you can't. Sorry." Donnie replied firmly as he jerked his head towards her. "Just stop there, okay? We're all in this together. Right now I think it's best if we all had some rundown time..just a little, alright? How 'bout we all go to bed or whatever and tomorrow we'll try out some of this stuff eh? We deserve a run down day, right?"

Everyone looked around, slight amusment now flickering in their eyes.

"Yeah..yeah that sounds great." Nora whispered with a faint smile on her lips as she nodded slowly.

"Good." Donnie replied as he began to turn around again and exit out the door, the others following his lead tightly as L punched in the code quickly before scrunching his nose slightly as it gave an acceptance buzz and they left into that eerie room, up that ramp-like hallway and each seperating to each of their rooms.

"Something wrong L?" Jane finally whispered as she looked up slowly.

"Hm? Oh..no..it's nothing important as of right now..most likely it has to do with the case but let's not worry about it right now.."

Jane opened her mouth to fight his words but slowly let her mouth close and turned her attention to the cream coloured walls before blinking slowly and nodding her head slowly..like a good little girl should...

"Okay.." She whispered.

_4:44 AM_

Scarlett swallowed her gasp as she yanked the desk drawer open and fingered the cool metal piece within the drawer. It glinted in the dimly lit candle light.

She swallowed and felt a tear fall from eye as she put a hand to her mouth before closing her eyes. Her fingers wandered slightly around inside the drawer before she felt a thick jolt of pain overwhelm her senses. She gasped shallowly before drawing back her hand and noticing the thin yet deep cut on the tip of her index finger on her right hand.

She studied the crimson for a moment before letting her eyes wander onto the white wall.

She took in a shaky breath before nodding slightly and re-entering her search as she felt the cool butt of the weapon. She grabbed it hastily and yanked it out as she stared at the almost white metal blade.

A dagger.

She saw the sarp point of it, stained in her own blood and swallowed before slowly putting it against her hand and quickly slicing it across.

She blinked back tears and stiffiled a scream before shaking her head quickly and noting the cut came to be a bit deeper than needed.

The blood poured out of her hand and all over herself as she gave out a small sob and dipped her finger within the blood.

Scarlett..a Scarlet colour for Scarlett.

She almost laughed at the thought but surpressed it by allowing her walls to fall down and allow the tears to fall down her now sob racked body.

She slide her finger across the wall, making mark, after mark, after mark until legible words were written with her own blood.

'_God Forgive Me.' _

She pushed her hair behind her ear as she quickly grabbed the thick chunk of metal within the drawer and pulled it to face her forehead.

**X**

Nora swallowed as she lied on the bed, nothing more on her body than he lingerie as she held her hand on the chest that was looming over her body.

She felt the warmness of the skin beneath her cold palm and closed her eyes slowly.

"Donnie.." She whispered as she felt his fingers feel around her hair.

"Yeah Nora..?" He replied as he succesfully grabbed ahold of her hair tye.

She opened her eyes and looked at his determined gaze as he persued the quest to release the tight bun.

"Why are you so obssesed with my hair?" She whispered with humour loosely hugging onto the end of her words.

He gave out a small chuckle before slowly shaking his head as he held the tye in succes and lifted her head slowly to allow it flow free around her.

He smiled down at her curious face leaning his face down to let his lips brush against her own.

"Your breath smells like..spearmint.."

"Well, before it smelt like Alcohol."

"I prefer the Spearmint."

He laughed again against her lips as it sent out a shock through both their spines when their lips connected smoothly and the kissing became deep.

Nora had not expected this sort of thing.

Not at all.

She expected him to be a harsh kisser, one to grab her gruffly and keep it short before the main event, but he made sure it lasted. He made sure every move her made upon her was tender.

It was the touch of a lover.

She let her hands begin to roam his face and run through his hair.

"Well Contempt loves the silence..it thrives in the dark..with fine winding tendrils that strangle the heart.." She whispered across his face as she took in a shaky breath.

"They say that promises sweeten the blow..but I don't need them..I've been treated so wrong...I've been treated so long..as if I'm becoming untouchable.."

They stopped suddenly and Donnie looked at her for minute, a clearly amused epxression upon his face,

"I'm a slow dying flower..in the frost-bitten hour..Sweet turning sour and untouchable...I need the darkness...the sweetness..the sadness...the weakness.."

Nora grabbed a hold of his shoulders before resuming their kiss that had been seperated for quite some time by then,

"Oh I need this.." She whispered as she let her lips roam his.

He parted for a second before whispering, "What're you going on about now?"

"It's a poem Donnie..it's a poem that I wrote..Poetry is a part of me that you'll have to get used to.."

"I've already learned to love it..because I love_ every single_ _part of you_.."

**X**

Jane glanced across the room as the young boy who sat on the bed, criss-cross on his bed, hands in his lap as he stared down at the sheets.

"TK?"

No reply.

Jane slapped her head and rolled her eyes. "Duh.." She whispered before walking slowly to the bed and sitting down slowly upon his own twin swized bed.

He looked up quickly in a sort of skittish way, his face flushed instantly and a red crimson colour flashed across his cheeks.

"Are you okay?" Jane asked worriedly as she brought her hand to his forehead.

He almost choked on his breath and it hitched within his throat.

"Oh..do you have a cough?" She asked worriedly as she brought her hand away, "You feel warm..do you feel alright?"

TK looked down at his hands again with a small grin on his face before nodding slightly.

Jane looked worriedly at him before bringing her finger to his chin and slowly lifting his head to meet her gaze. He stared on at her, wide-eyed with a glinting shine to them, making them look all too glassy.

His breath hitched again and he swallowed as he shut his slightly opened mouth.

"TK..I know that maybe you don't understand..no no no..I mean..well, what I mean to say is.." Jane stuttered at her loss for words and looked around a bit panicked.

TK's head started for her own and she gasped, thinking this might be an attempt to injure her, but she soon found that it was far from it.

Their lips collided and she felt his hands slowly make their way to her neck and before parting and gasping.

TK's face went from satisfaction and excitment to worry and fear.

"S-S-Sewry! Sewry!"

Jane shook her head and lightly hit the top of his head. "Kiss me again, you little fool."

TK's mouth went agape before Jane shut it and let her lips once again hit his.

**X **

L sat alone as usual in the chair at the dining table as he closed his eyes casually and then re-opened them. He sighed and looked at the wall at the far side of the room before seeing a faint glow of light on the side of it.

He lowered an eyebrow before standing up and walking towards the wall and looking at the source, he found that the small hallway he had only explored once was lit.

He shook his head slightly before traveling down it and making an abrupt left turn down another hallway before walking down some time before hearing a soft hissing.

He put his ear to the door he heard this small audible noise come from before recognizing it again. He slowly opened it careful yo not make much noise. He opened it only a crack, unsatisfied by the fact it was bright in the hall and dark in the room.

He would be given away if the light shone too brightly within the room.

He opened it just enough to get by and then turned around and closed it slowly. He was lucky that the person was bent over at the moment.

He watched in slight confusion as he watched the oddly some-what familiar figure give out a shaky breath and a few gasps as they brought something to their head.

He swallowed and closed his eyes slowly.

"Scarlett." He whispered.

The figure didn't even turn as the object in their hand just shook even harder within their sweating palms.

"L..L please.."

"I'm not going to tell you what to do..do as you wish..however, suicide is an ignorant way to leave. It's not exactly fair that you could just walk out on life, is it? While the rest of us suffer because we try to actually beat the game known as life..ahh well..if you find it comforting to know that you are cheating the rest of us out on-"

"Stop it! Just stop it! You don't know what i've been through! And now? I'm cursed dammit! Cursed! Do you see what's happening? This is meant to be! I suffer, I suffer, I suffer, and now?...Now I have this chance.."

L chuckled a bit darkly, something disturbingly out of character.

Sacrlett loosened her grip on the gun just slightly and swallowed as she lowered it slowly.

"Suffering..you don't think that everyone suffers?" L asked coldly as he took his awkward stance on a couch backed into the wall.

"I..M-...My mother was killed by my own father..before my eyes..and then I was sent to an orphanage..I think I know everyone suffers..but this..this is too much suffering.."

"So we share something in common..." L sighed as he stared down at the febric on the couch and subconcious dragged his middle finger across the fabric.

"What..What-d you mean?"

"Nothing..it doesn't matter to you..kill yourself.." L whispered as he shook his head and looked up at her face, full of contorted pain.

"Truth is.." He sighed and stood up before shoving his hands into his pockets, "..You'll just be yet another person I can say that I knew personally and watched die.."

Scarlett felt the tears burning within her eye sockets and she shook her head forcefully.

"No..No! This is all wrong!"

"What's all wrong..you said this was your chance.." L replied drawling a bit on his last words as he cocked his head to the side and looked at her with boredom evident along his features only slight mock curiosity visible.

"B-But..I..I'm just so confused..I'm just so confused..I want to be done with this..I really want to, but I.."

"But you can't.."

"Yes! I can't!"

"And _that's _because you don't really want to.."

"But I-"

"No, you don't."

Scarlett bit her lip and closed her eyes before sitting the gun down on the desk and tracing the cylinder barrel.

She shook her head slightly letting her black and red locks frame her pale face before looking back up at the still detective.

"Are you worried?" She whispered without changing her stance in any way, her question sent tense vibrations through the room and atmosphere, but neither took hardly a notice to it or reacted to it.

"..." L didn't respond but instead shoved his hands in deeper into his pockets, feeling the fabric at his fingertips.

"Are you worried..about _anything_?" She whispered again, adding just two words more to give, almost, put the question in a new light, a more important one.

The question was now on center stage.

"Yes.." He replied as he shrugged slightly, "One thing...Two as of right now..I don't really want you to kill yourself Scarlett..not really.."

Scarlett lifted her head slightly and turned it slightly to see the face of the man who was only visible dimly within the bleakness.

L turned slowly, feeling the carpet beneath his toes and he scrunched them up slightly before slowly walking from the room.

He shook his head and let his head fall as he reached the dining room. He sat in the chair and closed his eyes before a loud penetrating sound was heard throughout the entire house.

_'BANG' _


	11. Wishing

**House of 9**

_First off, here's a list of whose still in the game._

* * *

><p><em><span>Lawliet<span>- The mysterious, broken, orphaned, Weird, Genius (Phew..that was a mouthful)_

_Donnie- The Funny Druggie_

_TK-The Deaf Younger Brother_

_Nora- The Mother-hen_

_Maddie- The Broken Doll_

_Jane- The Beautiful Schizophrenic Mystery_

* * *

><p><strong><em>!PLEASE READ THIS!<em>**

**_-DIFFERENT MESSAGE-_**

**_I didn't update for a while due to a car crash I was in. I apologise for being out for so long, my guardian and I were hit by a drunk driver and that is my reason for not updating for quite a while. Again, I apologise for not updating as fast as usual and for this being a bit short, however, I hope you enjoy. _**

* * *

><p><em>IF YOU'RE CONFUSED: <em>

_That's a Good Thing as of now. _

_Re-read the chapters if you are lost in the story. _

* * *

><p><strong>X<strong>

**X**

**X**

**X**

**X**

Everyone stood around the bleeding body in silence, heads bowed as Donnie shook his head and slowly made his way to the young girl before bending down on one knee and slowly picking the gun from her hand and placing it back onto the table before slowly sliding his hands under her body to pick her up bridal style.

Donnie brushed her hair back and silently turned around for everyone to see the girl.

She was cold, frozen solid..

Her eyes were closed, eyelashes brushing against her cheeks, and all colour was drained from her body. But still playing on her once scarlet coloured lips, was a ghostly smile.

"She wanted to die.." Donnie whispered in the faint light, shirtless and disheaveled as he breathed in shakily. "You can tell. Ya' know what I mean? I mean come on..all of us wanted to die at some point. Thought of it? Attempted it.."

Everyone was deathly quiet within the darkness as they stared on at the limp girl in his arms, her legs daintily swinging lifelessly.

"L...what happened? What_ really_ happened? You were the closest one to her..you didn't see anything? Hear anything?..Suspect anything?" Jane asked quietly as she turned her head to look at the young man standing emotionlessly at the words written across the wall.

He didn't so much as move upon hearing his name but rather kept his eyes on the words, reading each and every words over and over, the same the thing..

Over...and over...

L sighed and rolled his head to side to stare almost boredly at the others. It was almost frightening the way he moved so suddenly.

"It's almost funny.." He murmured monotonously as always as he started scratching one foot the big toe of the opposite one.

"Not the death of course but rather how humans always seem to fear what happens after death.." L whispered as he bit the tip of his middle finger this time,

"Lawliet, look at what's going on around you..now think about it. Is that _really _what you choose to say?" Donnie whispered sharply still feeling a bit unfamiliar with this new mom persona he was beginning to take on.

"What? Oh, yes...that's what I chose to say and I think I will stick by it.." L replied shrugging slightly as he rolled his head back to look at the words once more.

"Oh L.." Nora murmured as she put a hand to her forehead, exasperated by the young boy by this time.

"Well, anyway, listen...nothing important but I know, for one, who exactly our captor is." L said slowly as he turned around and stuffing his hands into his pockets as usual before slowly taking a few steps towards the door.

Some would even begin to wonder if it was a habit, or perhaps even a _nervous _habit.

"Nothing important? But..that's...well, that's fantastic!" Jane yelled, almost overjoyed by the news.

"No, not really. As I said, nothing too important."

"Okay, well are you gonna fill us in or not Mastermind?" Donnie replied a deepening frown setting on his face, with a dead body in his arms, he was in no mood for mindgames.

"...I suppose...His name is Tavish Murdo...scientist..."

"Wait..how did you figure this out?" Donnie asked, a bit surprised by the actual finding.

At first perhaps the older man underestimated the young detective, however, upon realization that, in fact, L had the identity, it seemed to shock him.

"The code..it's a CAS number to a certain Chemical. Anyhow what exactly the chemical is, don't worry about. It was merely a reference to being related to science..."

"..Okay..and?" Donnie urged, now slowly setting down Scarlet in the chair, not being forgotten but only being simply set down.

"His extensive medical knowledge. The posion he created to kill James was obviously a one of a kind. I doubt he has anyone else here working for him other than Mio and he wouldn't want to share the adress with any dealers, so he made it himself. Also, don't forget how I had no feeling in my abdomen..it was most likely his doing.

"And After listening over to the conversation that Donnie and Tavish had, I can safely presume that when the message ended and he came to get me, he gave the injection then. I woke up to a small amount of pain but I couldn't pin-point where because it was a fast acting drug began working the moment it entered my blood-stream."

"Okay, yeah so we get all that and how you could think he might_ possibly_ be some kind of doctor but how did you know it was just this one guy? I mean, there's tons of Scottish doctors and Scientists." Donnie interjected,

"I never said he was a doctor.."

"L, that doesn't matter...now you're deflecting."

L stopped all fidgeting in which had consisted of: Rubbing the back of his neck, scratching his right ankle with his left big toe, and finally, biting his left thumb.

Both hands slowly fell to his sides and his foot slowly came down to the others side in an almost happy greeting as they brushed each other slightly when he scratched the side of his foot one last time. In the end, finally hitting it to the floor softly.

"I had a few clues as to the fact it was Tavish when we first heard the actual voice. _The scottish accent_...

"You see,_ I know_ only a few men in such a negative light, who are indeed, scottish...

"Tavish used to be the resident of a..certain.._Orphanage_, however, the pressure of this Orphanage got to him and he ran away...the purpose of this Orphanage however is a bit different than others. It has only one sole purpose, and that is to raise the children who live there to...become..successors..."

"That's awful, they're just like..._robots_ then?" Nora interjected, horrified by the sound that children were actually being raised to take over someone elses spot once death grabbed them by it's frozen dark claws.

"In a way, I suppose so...yes. They are specifically raised to become a successor of a person, this person pays the orphanage a fixed amount each year and then a grand total of what they believe the child is worth once the child turns the age of seventeen, the next year they move in with this person and become accustomed to the ways they live and do things. That's where the cycle ends and a new child is brought in.

"Tavish was part of this system until fifteen and the pressure was too much."

"So..this 'orphanage' has been around for a real long time then, right?" Donnie questioned musing on the age difference, from fifteen to some elderly age as of now. The orphanage and the system had to of been ancient, just well concealed from the public.

"Actually, Tavish should be around twenty-four or three, not very old at all actually." L replied as he bent his head down crookidly, ready to begin speaking again,

"Tavish's voice is only set up to sound elderly, it's was merely a test...again..."

"Wait, L, do you know all about Tavish, merely from detective work, and if so, why?...Why would you go in so deep about this one man? It doesn't add up." Jane questioned, an eyebrow raised in question as she avoided looking at Scarlet, the body only brought tears to her eyes.

L shook his head mentally before adding a mental smile. He sighed and almost rolled his eyes before catching himself and rubbing his left arm for a second before bringing himself around to answer,

"I have a hard time finding where this all got thrown on me..I mean _seriously_..." L replied childishly with a mocking smile before turning his head only an inch to see out of the corner of his eye, his unfased voice never wavering.

Jane frowned, "No, I'm not trying to sound suspicious of you or anything, I'm just asking. It's just..I don't know...uncanny!"

"Uncanny...?" L barely whispered as he mused over the words, he was in a mental battle with himself, wether the other could see it, he was almost positive they could not, even if he _was _turned around, he had learned to conceal everything from a very young age.

"And, hold up, it sounds like you think that this was all planned by someone you know, like an enemy of your's. It also sounds like you've _known _it. Like, you were _expecting it_. You said you only knew a few scottish men, so you knew it was someone you knew." Donnie added, eyebrows furrowing,

"...Someone I knew?..."

_'Perfect Timing, L. Wonderful job, you solved the puzzle of finding out my identity. Now, the others seem to be just slightly...suspicious...I'm sure they have questions about you, and at a splendid time. What do I mean, I am sure you are wondering. However, shouldn't a great detective know? Well..that doesn't matter, I won't hold it against you if you don't know. I promise, now go back to the Grand Dining Table, and I shall explain what I mean, and you shall explain how you know of who I am in return. __A sort of torture...pre-planned for you. Or, you may look at it as your own method being thrown ontop of you like a turn table, _

_'An eye for an eye.' _


	12. Stars

**House of 9**

_First off, here's a list of whose still in the game._

* * *

><p><em><span>Lawliet<span>- The Mysterious Genius_

_Donnie- The Funny Druggie_

_TK-The Deaf Younger Brother_

_Nora- The Mother-hen_

_Maddie- The Broken Doll_

_Jane- The Beautiful Schizophrenic Mystery_

* * *

><p><em>IF YOU'RE CONFUSED: <em>

_That's a Good Thing as of now. _

_Re-read the chapters if you are lost in the story. _

* * *

><p><strong>X<strong>

**X**

**X**

**X**

_'Warwick. We both know his name...were not strangers of him, are we?' _

L bit his tongue as he felt his heart sink deep within his body, that same black hole re-emmerging within himself, sucking his soul to another dimension.

_'It's funny how you say nothing..why is that? Do you not care?...No, that's not it. You just don't want to lose your "cool" because like always, you want to keep collected. Together. Well, how about one more test L Lawliet? One more test for that genius mind of your's?_

Suddenly, a large TV screen emerged from the ceiling, slowly sliding down the wall on the other side of the room, until it was at a mid-wall height, just at level.

_'Please turn your attention to this Television, if you will.' _

The words were useless as they already were transfixed into the black screen, awaiting something to happen upon it. Yes, the words were useless and the man knew it, only saying them for some sort of sick suspension build up. Building up the suspension within them until they felt themselves die inside.

Until they self-imploded.

Suddenly, however, the screen switched to a sort of Web-cam. An elderly man looked into the camera, beaten and bruised as he hung from chains which were tightly sealed around his wrists and chained to the stony wall.

The ceilings dripped and by the red-tipped nose and ears, they could tell it must of been absolutly frigid in the dungeon-like prison.

"W-Warwick?" L finally spoke, his eyes almost decieving him as he swallowed harshly,

"L?...L, y-you are there?" A proper british accent showed through his once high stature, along with his expensive suit which of course, was now in shreds.

"L...you must get out of there. However, for peace of mind, I'd like to let you know...I pressed the button.."

"Wa-Warwick...Why would you press it?"

"L...please...all my life...I know in my heart..I've never been a fool. If I took in false hope...false hope of me being able to return to Head Quarters...I would be a damned fool...I'm not going to make it..."

"Warwick, yes, you are. Stay there and I promise you, that once I escape form here-"

"No, L...you...you must head back to Head Quarters, in a few hours...I will be dead anyway..."

The silence overpowered the room, every breath more painful than the next, and all L wanted to know, was one more thing. One thing even a genius couldn't know unless he asked.

"Warwick.."

"Yes, L?"

"Do you hear them. Do you hear the bells?"

It was silent again, Warwick, an elderly British man breathed in shakily before licking his chapped bottom lip. A tear escaped from his left eye and he let it wipe the ash and dirt that was coated along his cheek.

"Yes...I do..."

At that moment, the TV switched off and it began receeding to it's home within the ceiling.

_'Touching...well anyhow, it's your turn to explain. See, **I** explained **why** it was such perfect timing to explain your past, now you explain the rest..' _

L's face drew to a blank and he looked at his hands which seemed to be hugging each other tightly as he then squeezed his eyes shut for a breif moment before allowing them to open again.

"My parent's were killed at the age of six...in a robbery...I was thrown into an Orphanage...The Whammy House. The founder was of course, Warwick Whammy..it was no ordinary orphanage..."

"It was the orphanage Tavish went to." Nora concluded at her spot amongst the remaining six.

"Yes.." L replied, never budging a muscle, or removing his gaze from his hands which were snow white and knuckles tinted pink from the force of the grip he had on each hand with the other.

"Yes..It was the same...I was six when I was put in the Orphanage, Tavish had been there for three years and was thirteen at the time I went in, however, he had been assigned a successor already and was struggling. Struggling in everything. He felt he was never doing good enough...see, when I was put in, there was six men fighting over me by the time I turned eight, the bidding on me...

"Tavish wanted that, whereas I did not. In the end I told them I refused to become anyones successor, and by that time Warwick and I became very close. He adopted me and allowed me to become what I had always wanted to become...anyhow...

"Mio was woman I met on a case one time in Los Angeles. She worked on a case with me for a while, she was an Ex-FBI agent and agreed to assisting me with the case on the basis that the FBI were no strangers to hearing my alias during cases and they knew I worked alone, save for Warwick..yes they knew I had him since if I ever needed to discuss anything with anyone, Warwick went with a laptop and covered in black robes and a black mask..once he delivered the laptop, an icon with the letter 'L' came up and I would talk to them with a voice changer of course...anyhow... For me to come to her specifically, an Ex-FBI, known for nothing...well it really fed her ego, I suppose and she agreed quickly.

"I only spoke to her through an ear piece...as L that is...I went into the Victim's House and met with her, however, I went as an unlicensed detective...or rather...an Un-private Detective. With a different alias, she was thoroughly convinced I was someone different...after the case I never heard from her again...until now that is...

"When the FBI refused to hire her back, she must of came crawling to Tavish...that's really the only explanation..."

"But, wait.." Nora began her hand to her forehead as she struggled to comprehend the tales, "How did she know Tavish? Or did he recruit her also?"

"No, Mio was no stranger to the Orphanage. When she was younger, she used to live in England also and her mother did much charity work. Although our orphanage didn't need it, her mother still felt she needed to give something to us so, instead, she visited and read us books. Keep in mind the outside public didn't realise our schooling was a bit advanced so while she read Dr. Suess, we had Hamlet and the Psychology of Dreams beneath our beds...Mio never attended as she had school or was with some of her friends, at least that's what her mother told us. However, one time Mio did attend and seemed to be rather attached to Tavish. When Tavish ran away, she came the following day and was told the news, she never came after that,

"I didn't realise this was the same girl until a few days after picking her to assist me...anyway it doesn't really matter..."

"Well, what about _'the button' _What was all that about?" Donnie asked as he folded his arms across his chest.

"The button?...Oh...the button...yes, it's..it's a button I installed into the computers at our headquarters..if pressed, it deletes all information on every computer in our headquarters...I told him to press it if anything were to ever go wrong..." L replied slowly, lifting his head slightly, hair brushing in front of his eyes.

"L...Lawliet...I am so sorry..." Nora whispered hoarsley and she began putting it altogether.

Warwick: This man was L's world, even if he would never spill it, this man was the father he never got to have and most likely his confidant, it was as though he had just lost a hero, his saviour, but most of all, his father.

"I appreciate the concern, but there is no reason to be apologetic..it couldn't of been prevented..." L replied softly as he stood up in the chair, head down still as he hopped off from the chair and landed quietly on the ground before once again stuffing his hands into his pockets and walking slowly up the stairs, hunched over as usual and darker deamenor surrounding him by then.

Donnie looked towards the stairs and shook his head glumly before standing up and turning to make his way towards the broken hearted boy before being grabbed by a strong hand.

He turned to see in surprise, that it was none other than Nora. He looked at her confused for a moment before seeing her shake her head and turn to look towards the waxed tile floor.

"Leave him..he needs time to cope. He's human just like the rest of us, even if _he_ doesn't like to believe it himself...He lost a father.."

Donnie breathed out softly before nodding and sitting down again, he stood there for a moment before shoving his hand into his vest pocket.

Nora turned her attention to what he was doing once again before watching in confusion as he brought out a set of keys, ones that he had recovered when they had been given their items back.

He then stood up and went over to the study area before grabbing a sheet of paper and a spare silver pen, making his way back to the table, he earned a few curious looks from the others as he sat back down in the chair once more.

He then took the pen and leaned over the paper, jotting only few words down from the looks of it.

"Look, Nora.." Donnie began as he then picked up the keys with one hand and grabbed the womans hand with his other, he then set the keys inside her empty hand before folding up the paper and holding it out for her to grab,

"I know this isn't exactly what you would _like _to do in your spare time but...when ya' get outta here...could ya' take out all the porn and drugs from my place? Or...you know...anything that would make my mother cry?"

Nora's breathed hitched in her throat and tears welled in her eyes, "Donnie, don't even say something like that, you are going to-"

"No, Nora...face reality baby...I'm just a sin...and society has to be protected from my type...so there's no doubt really, that I'm gonna die in this place...just take it...and if I don't die..you can give it back. Alright?"

Nora stared for a moment before closing her eyes and plucking the paper from his fingers and stuffing it in a free pocket before letting a few tears escape.

She breathed and fanned herself for a moment before letting out a short nervous laugh, "It's warm in here isn't it? I have an idea, let's hit the pool, alright? Doesn't that sound like fun? Huh?"

She stood up and let her fingers slide across TK's shoulders before he stood up quickly in an excited fashion and pumped a fist in the air.

He then laughed and took Jane by the hand as he stared in her eyes and finally, after a few moments of looking deeply into each other's smiling faces, they began walking quickly towards the hall, hand in hand.

Donnie sat for a moment, only accompanied now by Maddie who sat silently, starring off quietly before Donnie stood and made a shrugging gesture.

"C'mon Maddie, Let's have some fun...I think we deserve it, eh? Besides..the Mini-bar looked like fun, right?" Donnie gave a classic grin and Maddie stood up and for one moment, flashed a genuine smile.

It was something that no one got to see very often in the Hell Hole of the House of Nine.

* * *

><p>Nora stood outside the room, she believed L must of been in since all the others were mostly empty.<p>

She breathed in slowly before knocking, and then grabbing for the handle. She held her breath and attempted to open the door.

It luckily was unlocked and she wouldn't have to worry, unless he wasn't in there. Then, she wouldn't be satisfied until she at least knew where he was and that he was safe.

She had already been on her nerves edge when he was kidnapped, and if he went missing again, it might would be the final straw for the witty psychiatrist.

"L?" She called out softly before taking notice that he was, in fact, there. He was sitting on the edge of a bed, in dim lighting staring at a blank wall.

"Lawliet, were all going out to the pool and..if you would like to join us, we would be happy for you to at any time..."

"...Thank You..." L replied softly and she had to strain to even hear the monotonous Thanks.

"Oh, no trouble..I just wanted to tell you." Nora replied before sliding herself out the door once more and making her way down the stairs and down the hall.

Each step ran in her ears as she finally got to the bottom of the ramp-like hallway and at the secret entrance, still opened.

She walked through and onto the deck of the pool. She looked into the sky and saw the bright sun in the sky, hot and practically burning against her flesh.

She could feel the warmth and vitallity. She felt almost..alive...


	13. Never

**House of 9**

_First off, here's a list of whose still in the game._

* * *

><p><em><span>Lawliet<span>- The Mysterious Genius_

_Donnie- The Funny Druggie_

_TK-The Deaf Younger Brother_

_Nora- The Mother-hen_

_Maddie- The Broken Doll_

_Jane- The Beautiful Schizophrenic Mystery_

* * *

><p><em>IF YOU'RE CONFUSED: <em>

_That's a Good Thing as of now. _

_Re-read the chapters if you are lost in the story. _

* * *

><p><strong>X<strong>

**X**

**X**

**X**

Freezing.

That's the only way he could describe it.

Death.

That's the only way _she _could describe it.

Hot lips pressed against her own but she knew it wouldn't come of any use, it was a futile attempt to save a life. She felt the breath enter her mouth, felt it enter he dying body, but she didn't feel any life come back to her.

Soft lips pressed against _his _own lips, but he, unlike the girl, hoped and wished it would work. Prayed even. However, no matter how much he hoped, how much he dreamed, there was always a piece of him that told him in the back of his mind that he was undoubtbly going to die.

He stretched his hand across the burning concrete to touch the womans hand, and for a moment, he could of sworn that once he felt his way into her hand, she squeezed his hand.

His back arched in pain and his eyes shot open as he gasped for air. His life flashed across him in the sky. His father, the abuse, his brother, and now.

Now the release. Beautiful release.

The girl felt her head burn, she felt her face turn to fire and she smiled as she watched her life also flash before her very eyes. Every painful memory come to a closing end when she always could of sworn that she was kissing TK once again.

Jane breathed one last shallow breath next to TK and the both died peacefully on the deck of the pool.

The three currently by the pool stared at the two now deceased, shock overwhelming them.

Donnie breathed in Jane's face as he removed his lips from her mouth, staring at her closed eyelids. He shook his head forcefully and pushed them open with his thumbs.

"J-Jane, c'mon now, wake up dammit!"

Nora sat up, seperating her own lips from TK's and staring in melancholy as she looked at the young boys now cold, paled face.

He was gone.

She was gone.

Nora fought the oncoming tears by biting her lower lip and shaking her head.

"Their dead.." Maddie whispered as she put a hand to her mouth,

"Yeah..they are, but how?" Donnie murmured as he stood up and brushed his trousers off quickly before putting a hand to his forehead.

Nora recovered herself and swallowed as she stood up quickly, "It must have something to do with the pool, they didn't have anything to drink."

"Yeah, but neither did you and you got in the pool."

* * *

><p>Donnie shoved the door open quickly as he squinted in the new dim light of the house, still trying to get used to it. He stepped in quickly, almost as though he was daring an object to be in his way through his temporary blindness.<p>

"Two more are dead."

The sillhoute of the great detective at first made no move to even so much as ackgnowledge the other man and what he was told.

After a moment though, he turned his head to the side, looking at the floor beside him,

"Who?"

"Jane and TK."

L turned back towards the wall for a moment, quiet in the darkness as he thought in silence, finally, however, he stood up.

Arms hanging down at his side, hunched over and head looking at the ground.

He turned slowly and slide his hands into his pockets as always when walking, Donnie began to even wonder if prhaps this was a way to hold his trousers up but it hardly seemed like something to ask at the moment, so he instead stepped out of the way when L reached his form which happened to be blocking the doorway.

The two walked together down the hall, L at an even slower pace than usual and Donnie, instead of his desired course of action, slowed himself down to his pace and walked together.

And for a moment, Donnie felt a connection to the loner. He felt as though this was a friend beside him, a companion. Not the worlds greatest detective, but a misunderstood teenager, a mistreated teenager, a lonely, sad, teenager.

Donnie stole a glance at the overwhelmingly melancholic racoon-eyed teenager before debating in his head wether it was alright to make contact with him.

He remembered the way he reacted when Mio touched him, it seemed as though it almost hurt to be touched.

Donnie raised his hand and slowly, softly, planted his hand on his shoulder. He stared ahead, allowing L to show whatever emotion he needed without the embarassment of someone seeing.

However, L only seemed to tense and then look up at the other man in shock. He could hardly believe another being shared human contact with him.

Donnie patted him and then turned to nod at him.

A sign of respect.

L turned to stare at the floor once again after the contact was taken away. However, he couldn't figure out how he felt about this. Did he like the contact? Was he dissapointed it was gone?

L had only ever let Warwick touch him in any sort of way, before that, he hadn't allowed any contact.

Not that anyone had ever tried before Warwick.

L shook the thoughts from his head however once they reached the Dining room.

The had only two other people.

They were down to four. Four out of Nine.

They had lost five.

L sat down at the table in his usual fashion and made no hesitation to begin speaking,

"I take it that Tavish waited until I was here...and now he will begin speaking once I finish.."

_'Right you are Lawliet. Now I suppose I will explain the deaths of Dear Jane and Poor Little TK. You see, the pools water is mixed with a certain...substance. Now, the Chemical is a fast-acting solution. So, Donnie, Nora, and Maddie, you three are cleared. The chemical can't harm you because, you see, this posion is only posinous to a rare, select, few. _

_'There has been posion in everything actually, however, it's only really posion to some. In your drinks, in your bath water, in the pool, in your food. There are different chemicals in all these things. It seems however, that TK and Jane were both allergic to the chemical within the pool water...pity. Well, that is all.' _

Nora looked at Donnie and took her hand away from her mouth which had seemingly wandered to her mouth while Tavish had been talking. She let it hit the table beneath her and then felt a hand touch her own before squeezing it.

She looked up and saw Donnie looking into her eyes, a straight line forming his lips.

She put her hand ontop of his and smiled as she brought his hand up to her cold face. It filled with her warmth and took it away before slipping it around her shoulders.

* * *

><p>Nora breathed in sharply and drew back her hand as she heard another clap of thunder ring throughout the mansion and shake the walls.<p>

She drew in a shaky breath and shook her head as she recovered herself and tried to reach for the juice inside the fridge once again.

She took it out and set it on the counter before looking around the dining room.

Donnie was sitting at the dining table, a bottle of beer half gone and Maddie sat across from him, looking out into oblivion.

"Guys, where did L go?"

Donnie turned towards her and then turned to look around the room.

L had left the room about ten minutes ago, not stating where he was going, and Nora tried to refrain from asking on the basis that she knew he needed to be alone and his privacy needed to be respected.

She wanted to be there, but not be there _too much_.

Now, however, with the storm rattling the walls, she wished that she _had _asked.

"I dunno." Donnie replied as he titled the jar back once again, spilling some more of the contents into his mouth.

"I don't know either.." Maddie replied softly,

"Nora, don't worry, okay? He's probably in his room again, thinking."

"And what if he's in the pool dead?"

Donnie titled the bottle again and then placed it carefully on the table. "Okay, okay. Don't worry. I'll go like for him."

"You sure?"

"Of course I am. I'll find him, make sure he's good and whatever." Donnie replied with a smile as he stood up and nodded towards Nora.

"Okay, becareful."

"_Becareful _is my middle name." Donnie replied as he quickly ran up the stairs.

"I wish.." Nora whispered as she watched him dissapear down the hallway.

Donnie walked down the hall quickly before opening the door to Lawliet's bedroom and looking inside. It was still dark and quiet, with the exception of the sound of pouring rain from outside, but now, there was no sillhoute sitting on the bed.

He looked around quickly, a warmness tinging his ears by now as he swallowed deeply, a thousand thoughts split inside his mide as though they were all in a small sack, waiting for the right moment to explode.

_"**Okay, you should check the other bedrooms first since you're already here." **_

Donnie left the door open and began opening every other bedroom door. None of them were occupied.

He ran down the hallway and down another set of stairs, he found that this brought him to the other side of the house were the second kitchen and dining room was.

He quickly made his way down a hallway until he became familiar with the surroundings. He saw a ramp-like hallway and sprinted down it before noticing the secret passage was open.

_**"L has to be outside! But what idiot would stand outside in the middle of storm?" **_

Donnie ran through the passage and outside, and he saw it.

He saw the sillhoute.

He let out a sigh of relief and shook his head, it was pouring. The rain echoed loudly all around him and the overcast caused it look as though it was the middle of the night.

Rain falling into the ocean was something that he had never seen before, and he wished he had never seen it. The waves crashed roughly against each other, crashing into the beach and flying around madly as the rain continued to beat down upon the open waters.

Donnie jerked his head towards L and watched as he stood there, looking out at nothing in particular. He was standing sideways to him and from what it appeared, he was looking up, changing his point of view now.

He was staring up as the rain came falling down onto him, hands still in his pockets.

Donnie took a step forward, feeling the dirt turn into mud and soak his shoes and ankles, he looked down in disgust for a moment before shaking his head. L seemed to take no notice of the movement and turned his head ever so slightly and looked, emotionlessly at the man standing right beneath a small cover, just a few feet from the passage way.

"What the hell are you doing out here by yourself?" Donnie asked with an eyebrow cocked as he folded his arms against the cold winds.

He knew however, his message probably didn't get farther than a few feet before being cut off by the heavy rains.

L then turned his head fully to look at him, slightly surprised by now, however, it was obvious he didn't get much of the message when he cupped a hand around his ear and leaned slightly on the leg nearest to the rebel.

Donnie frowned and stepped forward before cupping his hands around his mouth,

"What are you doing out there by yourself?" Donnie yelled over the crashing rains,

L stared at him for a moment, eyes wide like a small baby raccoon, mouth slightly open and hand still in the cup form, were now down by his neck.

He brought it up again, but this time with, what seemed like, a teeth flashing smile. It was small and short, but Donnie caught the expression as soon as it was flashed.

Donnie sighed and shrugged before walking out into the rain.

Once out in the open coldness, it seemed almost like..security. He knew the temperatures wouldn't change, he knew the atmosphere was going to thick with frozen air and rain. For once, he could predict what would happen around him and in a sort of sick way, it gave him...security.

He finally made it to L and he stared at him for a moment before he let out a breath of air,

"What are you doing L?" He finally asked as he himself, caught up in the odd fashion of sticking hands inside pockets. It seemed that maybe, the kid was wearing off on him.

L turned away to look at the ground this time, also shoving his hands into his pockets once again and the smile wiped off quickly, as though the rain washed it away.

"Oh...I'm not doing anything in particular..it's just..." L paused breifly to look up again, out at nothingness once more as it seemed.

Donnie put his hand inbetween his eyebrows, almost as though giving a salute in an odd fashion. However, it did form a sort of shield.

"...I hear the bells.." L finished softly.

Was there a hint of something in his voice? Of course it was monotonous as always, however, it seemed there was something in it..just a small hint..perhaps it was..fear? Sadness?

It was so small, Donnie could not even place it, but he _did _know it was something.

"The Bells?" Donnie questioned, a bit confused at first.

"Yes.." L replied as he turned to look at Donnie before returning his gaze to a far off one, "..the sound of the bells are growing unusually loud today.."

"Listen, I don't hear anything, L.."

"Really?" L interjected, cutting him off from what he was about to say completely, "..you can't hear them? They've been ringing non-stop all day...Yes, well...they are very distracting...I wonder...if it's a church? Maybe a-"

"What're you getting at? C'mon, cut it out. Let's get back inside, I mean seriously, I think the colds getting to your head."

"...I'm sorry...Nothing I say makes sense anyway.." L replied, all sense of anything else gone as he turned away, drops of water dripping off the tips of his black strands of hair. "..if I were you, I wouldn't believe _any _of it."

Donnie cocked his head slightly as he watched the detective stare down at the ground, eyes wide.

"You know..you're totally right...honestly, some of the crap you say is total non-sense. They'd be no end to trouble if I took you seriously _all _the time..."

Donnie watched as L turned himself towards him, face blank once again but eyes still wide as usual.

"I probably know that better than anyone," Donnie continued.

"Yes..I would say that's a fair suspect, but honestly..I could say the same about you sometimes.."

Donnie gave him a worried look for a minute before smiling, "C'mon Sugarpop, let's get you inside. This storm is really bad and mom's worried about us."

"..."

Donnie watched for a moment as L jerked his head in the same spot of nothingness again, but did he really hear the sound of bells?

"L, come inside buddy."

L turned to look at him for a moment again before staring into the darkness again. He turned his back to the ocean and finally complied to his request, walking forward slowly, never moving his gaze from the ground.

Donnie watched as he passed him slowly, looking up at him for a moment before entering the cold passage way. He stood in the pssage way for a moment before Donnie around and walked inside also.

"It's funny.." L whispered,

Donnie turned around and looked at him confused once again, "Huh?...What?"

"...I feel as though you are the first friend I have ever had..."

Donnie stared at him, shocked. His mouth opened, but no words could escape, but it seemed that he didn't have to.

L walked by him slowly, a look of no emotion written on his face once again as he walked through the doorway and down the hallway, to meet with the others once again.


	14. Existed

**House of 9**

_First off, here's a list of whose still in the game._

* * *

><p><em><span>Lawliet<span>- The Mysterious Genius_

_Donnie- The Funny Druggie_

_TK-The Deaf Younger Brother_

_Nora- The Mother-hen_

_Maddie- The Broken Doll_

_Jane- The Beautiful Schizophrenic Mystery_

* * *

><p><em>IF YOU'RE CONFUSED: <em>

_That's a Good Thing as of now. _

_Re-read the chapters if you are lost in the story. _

* * *

><p><strong>X<strong>

**X**

**X**

**X**

It was silent.

Silence, in the moments of a miracle were beautiful, in the moment of tragedy and death, however, they were depressing.

Maddie held the knife close to her and shakily took a breath,

"I'm not stupid. I've solved this puzzle! I solved the unsolvable!"

Nora glanced at Donnie and swallowed when she saw Donnie was not looking back at her, but rather focusing on the knife in Maddie's hand.

"..Were never getting out of here. _That's the answer_. You have to kill yourself to get out. It's the only way!"

No one spoke again as Maddie began to cry, her hands shaking as she gripped the hilt harder. It was the same one Scarlett had used.

"..and if I go to hell for killing myself, then so be it...I know it'll be better than this!" Maddie screamed as she tore the sharp blade into her abdomen.

Her face went from one of pain to one of shock. She breathed in shakily again and looked down at the knife, plunged into her own flesh.

She coughed and crimson began to slowly seep from her lips.

She dropped to the floor within moments and that was the end of another.

Three.

Three left out of an original nine.

* * *

><p>It was dark outside and the soft wind blowing through her hair seemed to wrap around her as though it was safe to let her guards down.<p>

She knew however, this was just false hope.

False hope bubbling inside her, trying to make her forget all her worries and allow herself to feel free again. However, it seemed that everytime she did that, something awful would happen. She would get too careless to see things around her and become blind by her joy.

She could never be happy.

A hand suddenly clapped on her shoulder and she turned to see a certain red-head beside her. She smiled and turned from him to stare out at the moon-lit ocean once again.

"Hello stranger." He whispered in her ear as he leaned his head down to her shoulder.

She laughed softly and stepped back into his arms, leaning into his warm embrace. She shivered lightly beneath his arms and sighed.

"How is he?"

"L?"

"...Yes, I've been worried about him. Since Warwick...he's been acting more distant..."

"Yeah...yeah, I know. I caught him out in the rain earlier ya'know."

"Yes..I believe I could tell from his soaked clothing," She replied with a hint of wit in her voice.

Donnie chuckled and nodded, "Yeah, guess so. Anyhow..he was talking about some bells. Complaining about them really..saying they were distracting him and getting louder...then he got a little...-" Donnie stopped there to look out at the ocean as well.

"Got a little what?"

"...well...confused I guess. He was talkin' about how it might be a church or something.."

"A church?"

"Yeah, then he said sorry and that nothing he says makes much sense anymore...I think he's probably just a little depressed.."

"Depressed..yes, that must be it."

"Well, ya'know I'm a bit depressed too.."

Nora turned around at this and looked shocked into Donnie's own sly grin, "Wha..-What about?"

"Well, i'm kinda depressed that we haven't kissed in quite a number of hours, madame."

Nora relaxed and she rolled her eyes before playfully smacking his cheek. "You stop trying to worry me!"

"_You_ stop_ hitting_ me." He replied with a grin as he leaned in, letting his lips smash against her own.

* * *

><p>L sat on the edge of his bed, once again staring at the wall, hands deep inside his pockets and eyes wide. He slowly allowed his hands to emerge from their pockets and wrap arond his legs which were as usual brought up to his chest.<p>

He sighed as he saw the shadow flicker across to wall when the door creaked open.

"What is it, Tavish?"

"Oh, you are as witty as ever I see."

L didn't reply but instead continued staring into the wall, as though it held some sort of underlying secret to the meaning of life.

"L...Ryuzaki...Projendino...Fanzine...Which would you like to be called today?"

"I would prefer my real name..."

"Oh, you really are no fun...Lawliet..."

"..."

In a swift movement, Tavish entered the room and quickly came to sit next to the great detective. Young and thin, the mastermind sat beside the genius.

Tavish sighed and looked over at L, a jar of jam in hand.

L turned to look for a moment before recognising the jar to be a simple jar of strawberry jam. It was Tavish's favorite.

Tavish sighed again and opened the lid before tilting the jar back and shaking it until a glob enter his mouth. He chewed it quickly, even though there was hardly a need to do so and then screwed the lib back on.

"How long do you plan on waiting to eat them?" L asked thoughtfully as he turned his head to the side to see the slightly young, yet slightly older man beside him.

Tavish turned his own head and then lied back on the bed, "Not very much longer..I'm not eating James..Scarlett, TK and Jane I will though. I've waited too long to eat James."

"Hm." L replied before shaking his head, "Cannibalism...it's not exactly something you just take up. Why have you started now?"

"Tastes delicious. Have you ever tried it, Lawliet?"

"...No, I haven't..."

"I suggest you try some."

"...I'll stick to my Coffee and sugar cubes..."

Tavish laughed wickedly and shook his head, "Like old times, eh Lawly?"

"...I prefer not to think of old times..."

"Aw..why? Because your mummy and daddy were killed by the 'masked men'? Because you were never allowed to even _see_ your mother and father? Because they locked you in a attic and made sure you never saw them? Because your father beat you with a white mask on?

"No..that's not all either, is it? It's the bells. You still wake up when you pass out from sheer exhaustion, don't you? Wake up to the screaming of the children, and of the bells. Ringing over and over in your head."

L's eyes grew wider as he stared at the wall, heart beginning to race in his throat,

_'..This is your new home, Lawliet. The Whammy House. It's a place for intellectually gifted children...' _

The snow falling around him as he stood in silence in front of the Whammy House, his hand inside Warwick's.

_'...What's that noise?...Who are you? Father? Are you my father? Wh-Why are hurting me? Why are you hurting me! WHY ARE YOU HURTING ME?' _

The small latched down on the floor, opening and a man covered from head to toe in black, save for a small white mask on his face, emerging into the darkness of his room. Of the attic. On his sixth birthday, he came in and beat him. The following day...he died...by other masked men...

_'Lawliet! I've told you not to climb ontop of the roof!' _

Ontop of the roof in the pouring rain, looking down at the church beside the orphanage as a casket came out, being loaded into a hearse.

_'It's the bells again Roger...it's the bells again...perhaps it's a wedding, or maybe a funeral...most likely it's a funeral..happy things don't really ever happen around the Whammy House.' _

Telling one of the two old men who cared for him at the Orphanage, the _only _two who he felt he could even so much as talk to. Telling him of the bells..the bells that screamed in his head during the night...

_'Lawliet! Lawliet, whatever is wrong with you child? Why did you run away from the orphanage? Why did you come to this church? Lawliet? Lawliet listen to me!' _

Crying in the middle of the church when he decided he must know what was inside of it. The stained glass, the louds bells. The screaming...the screaming that came from his own lungs. Roger, trying to pry him away from inside the church.

"Yes...that's it, isn't it? The bells. The loud, haunting bells. You hear them as we speak, don't you?..."

L took in a shaky breath, his mouth agape and hands making their way to his ears.

"...Ring...Riiiing...RING...RIIIING.."

L shook his head and screamed

this church? Lawliet? Lawliet listen to me!'

Crying in the middle of the church when he decided he must know what was inside of it. The stained glass, the louds bells. The screaming...the screaming that came from his own lungs. Roger, trying to pry him away from inside the church.

"Yes...that's it, isn't it? The bells. The loud, haunting bells. You hear them as we speak, don't you?..."

L took in a shaky breath, his mouth agape and hands making their way to his ears.

"...Ring...Riiiing...RING...RIIIING.."

L shook his head and screamed as he fell to the ground in a sprawl, moving into fetal position he could see his life flash further before his eyes.

"If you can't solve the puzzle..you're only a loser."

L shook his head and grabbed Tavish by the shirt with one shaky weak arm,

"I solved the puzzle..."

"You didn't."

"I did..."

L brought him down closer and whispered only a few words in his ears before Tavish fell backwards, eyes wide and spirits crushed.

L took in a shallow breath before he gripped at his chest and felt the hollowness leave his body. He felt lighter than air.

"Feels like..an elephant's on my chest.." L whispered with a smile before slowly closing his eyes, and there was Warwick.

* * *

><p>Nora turned as she heard the heart wrenching scream, she gasped and Donnie broke away from his grasp around her and moved quickly through the house.<p>

Running up the stairs, down the hall and crashing into L's door with Nora hot on his trail.

He burst through and saw the body.

Nora screamed and put her hands to her eyes, "No! L!" She cried out as Donnie made his way to the body slowly.

His were half-closed, looking at the ceiling, emotionless, lifeless.

Donnie picked his head up and put his arm beneath him to pick him up bridal style.

He was gone.

"L...Lawliet?" Nora whispered as she felt her head buzz in a whirlpool.

Donnie shook his head remosefully and Nora felt her heart snap in two. She breathed in quickly, her eyes burning hot.

"Aw..don't I get an credit around her either?"

The infamous scottish accent dawned upon their ears, but this time, they heard it from one spot. Directly behind them.

This wasn't coming from a speaker.

"Tavish." Donnie growled as he turned to look at the man. Dark brown hair in a sort of Leonardo Dicaprio hair style, a small mustache and black trousers held up by dark leather suspenders, a white button up dress shirt underneath. He literally looked as though he came out of the ninteen forties.

"What did you do to him?" Nora whispered sharply at the smiling evil mind.

"I did nothing, I promise. He had a heart attack. Not my fault, lovey."

Nora's face contorted to one of rage as she then decided she would, for once, go with her gut. She felt that impulse, she needed to give in to it..she knew she needed to.

She charged at the man and grabbed him by the shoulders, however, within seconds she felt a hot pain within her own abdomen. She choked and felt the pain encase her entire body she screamed in agony and Donnie watched as the woman fell onto the floor.

He lied L down upon the bed and looked at her. Her skin already turning a deathly pale and her hair falling all around her body. He thought, perhaps just for a second, that he could faintly hear the sound of something..something distant..something far..

He opened his mouth slowly and choked on a sob, tears brimming his eyes.

"Aren't you proud little Donnie? You've won. You've won it all!"

Donnie shook his head and stepped slowly forward as he grabbed the woman on the floor, holding her close to his body.

"I'm not gonna be the winner of your sick little fucking game, doc. I hope you had fun playing, because now it's over."

Donnie took the large needle sticking from Nora and reered it back,

"No..you know what's even better?"

Tavish looked at him, wide-eyed and practically vibrating on the spot.

"Killing your ass first."

And In the darkness and bleakness of the room, Donnie single-handedly destroyed their captor. Destroying with it, a beautiful mind. The Game did not end with a scream, not did it end with a 'Bang'. It ended in a small Thank You.

"..I'v been waiting for this to happen..for a long time.."

Donnie pulled back the weapon and then set Nora down on the ground before also grabbing L and sitting him next to her.

"I know you don't want me to do this Nora.." Donnie whispered, "but I can't imagine a life without you..I know you will go to heaven and I will go to hell, but at least society will be protected from me.."

Donnie then stuck the weapon within his own body, and fell to the ground beside the woman he loved. Falling to the ground, blood spilling around his body in a pool.

* * *

><p>Jose stood in the Great Room once again as he looked around the house. Death filled the air,<p>

"Hello? Is anyone here?" A voice shouted beside him, a man dressed in a Uniform..

The Military was there, beside him once again as he slowly climbed up the stairs alone.

He looked around slowly, his eyes casting over every inch of the familiar house until he got the long hall of bedrooms.

A cartain overpowering smell, however, got to his nostrils. The smell of death.

He walked into the room to find five dead bodies..It was L, Nora, Donnie, a man he had never seen before, and Mio.

His breath hitched as Ricky came to his humble side.

"That's it.." Ricky whispered, "Look at what you've done! You didn't help at all! If you had stayed, this may of never happened!"

Jose took in a shaky breath and shook his head, "No Ricky..no."

"Yes, Jose, yes!"

Jose looked around the room in a frenzy, eyes rushing around the room. L, Nora, Donnie...they were dead?

And the others...they were all dead too then...

Small TK...goregous Jane...

They were all dead, and because of him. He was a man of the army for gods sake! He was supposed to be strong! Army strong!

Instead he left whenever he could..

Escaped death..

He felt his fingers along the cold steel. He fingered it and swallowed.

Now Ricky was gone..

Jose breathed heavily as he removed it from the holster and finally aimed it at himself.

And then? Then there was none.


End file.
